GD60: Celebrating the 60 Year Legacy of the Grateful Dead
The most powerful works of art live far beyond the lives of their creators. Anything that continues to provide inspiration to those that seek out a deeper understanding of life brings us all closer together and provides higher meaning while the wheel continues to turn.
The Grateful Dead has filled that role for musical wanderers for six decades, and the movement continues to thrive even 30 years after Jerry’s death. From the community that’s formed around the touring circuit, to the catalog of music that continues to find new listeners, and the influence they’ve imparted on American culture as a whole; the wake that the Dead left behind ripples through the world to this day.
The passionate Dead community blew up with excitement with the announcement of the 60th Anniversary celebration at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, the city where it all began, with Dead & Company headlining three nights. Plus opening sets by Billy Strings, Sturgill Simpson, and Trey Anastasio Band. All taking place during Jerry’s birthday weekend. GD60 shaped up to be the biggest celebration of the Dead since Fare Thee Well 10 years earlier.
I knew right away, this would not be like other shows. Like so many others from around the world, I felt the gravitational pull all the way from my homebase in Virginia, and I surrendered to the flow.
Going to Hell in a Bucket But Enjoying the Ride
Making the journey to San Francisco was no easy feat. The price of the ticket alone was steep, and these days the cost of travel has become increasingly difficult to manage for anyone without a stock portfolio. To raise money for the trip, I sold numerous personal possessions, namely my small but valuable Dead vinyl collection, but I knew the memories of attending these shows would be far more cherished in the long run of life.
A significant amount of online discourse bubbled to the surface in the wake of the announcement. With the steep $635 GA ticket price, exorbitant VIP packages, and just two months' notice for one of the most expensive cities in the country, many expressed how the whole venture felt disingenuous to how the Dead always formed their own path. The Dead’s grassroots origins have undeniably been absorbed into mainstream attention, and we’re all unfortunately subject to the money-driven decisions that come with modern culture. Even in this circle of cultural outsiders.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
Closer to show date, the secondary market became flooded with tickets where many people had to sell extras well below the original price, including many “miracles” given away for free on the days of the shows. Money will come and go and life, but moments like these will live forever in the memories of the people fortunate enough to pull off the journey.
Regardless of the financial commitment, this celebration was sure to be one of the last major hurrahs for Bobby and Mickey, who were 77 and 81, respectively, at the time of these performances. The unwavering dedication they’ve devoted to this community can never be underestimated. By the time the 70th anniversary comes around, it’s likely their days of performing such high profile shows will be behind them for one reason or another, giving GD60 a little more finality than Fare Thee Well did in 2015.
Dead & Co ended their touring schedule with the epic Final Tour in 2023, but the music never stops, or so the song goes. They found a new home at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The shiny new presentation captivated everyone who attended the two residencies in 2024 and 2025, but GD60 offered a more authentic live experience in the Dead’s hometown and the beautiful surroundings of Golden Gate Park. While I’m sure The Sphere was quite the memorable experience, the Dead’s music feels much more at home surrounded by trees and the breeze of a cool San Francisco summer.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
No matter where you stayed in town, the community was in full takeover mode. Stealies and tie-dyes filled the sidewalks and bars all over as excited Deadheads from around the world converged into San Francisco to mark 60 years of Dead music touching our lives. By the time we all reached Golden Gate Park, the immaculate vibes could be felt all around.
Walk into Splintered Sunlight
The first day kicked off with an opening set from Billy Strings. After being blown away by my first time seeing them earlier this year, I couldn’t think of a better way to usher in such an epic weekend of music. They delivered with their trademark blend of energetic bluegrass and killer jamming with full marks.
“Shady Grove” made an appearance early in the set in a nod to Jerry’s bluegrass songbook, and later the band gathered around one mic for “If Your Hair’s Too Long (There’s Sin in Your Heart)” which drew a unifying cheer from the crowd with its Grateful Dead name drop. The short but excellent set came to an appropriate close with “Thunder”, the song Billy composed with lyrics from Robert Hunter gifted to him by Billy Kreutzman. We were only just getting underway, but this opening sermon set the tone for a magical weekend.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
The long, crazy night kept rolling once Dead & Co took the stage for their first performance of the weekend. The immediate feedback to this show, both online and among the people around town, was largely negative. People voiced concern over what felt like a lethargic performance from Bobby. His modern guitar tone often receives criticism that calls it scratchy or abrasive, and the livestream going out to the rest of the country reportedly featured a mix that brought this tone out front and center from the rest of the band.
In person, Bobby’s guitar didn’t stick out nearly as much as people were describing from the livestream. To my ears, it felt folded in nicely into the overall soundscape. When mixed properly, Bobby’s tone and playing adds the same foundational layers it always has. However, it did seem like the band overall was working to find its groove. The most noticeable moment of miscommunication to me was in the aftermath of “Playing in the Band” in the second set. One of the most cherished jam vehicles in the songbook, but just as the jam really starts getting somewhere interesting, Bobby seemed to pull the plug on it after less than 10 minutes to signal a transition into “Estimated Prophet” that took some time to come together.
The negative reaction was honestly understandable in some respects, but this night still delivered plenty of wonderful memories. Billy Strings returned to the stage for a performance of “Wharf Rat”, signaling the rotating list of celebratory sit-ins to come during the weekend and giving night one a moment of true magic. Billy led the charge through the Jerry-powerhouse ballad as Bobby and John stepped back to let him shine. In addition to his wonderful lead vocals, Billy also led a lengthy jam not typical to “Wharf Rat” with powerful energy and expert precision. Jerry would’ve been proud.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
The evening couldn’t have passed without a tribute to Phil Lesh. We lost him just earlier this year, and one can’t help but think what kind of role he could’ve played in this celebration. Instead, we were treated to an appearance by his son, Grahame, who donned his father’s iconic Big Brown Bass and sang lead on “Box of Rain”. A touching moment to remember the impact Phil had on the music, and a reminder to always walk through any doorway into what life has to offer, knowing that love will always see us through.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg Photography
“Eyes of the World” gave night one its most eventful jamming outside of “Wharf Rat”. The nearly 20-minute version traveled through several freeing sections where the band finally sounded like they found their footing before leading into a beautiful and stretched out version of “Terrapin Station”, John’s shining moment of the night in its nearly flawless execution.
“Not Fade Away” was a logical choice to wrap things up, but the jam never quite gelled and it felt like the band might have rushed through in order to meet the strict 10pm curfew. The crowd also never fully caught on to the closing chant, and the encore break was skipped before the curtain-closing “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”.
Night one had some ups and downs, but it was only the beginning with much more to look forward to.
The Day Between
Night two on the other hand was a completely different story. By showtime everyone had settled in and warmed up. The crowd felt just as welcoming and excited as the night before despite the field feeling much more full. Everywhere you looked through the massive audience showed nothing but smiles and celebration.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg Photography
This show kicked off with an opening set from Sturgill Simpson. The band known for their punctuality and long performances came out right at the scheduled time with Sturgill chiming in to say they’ve only got 75 minutes and they weren’t going to waste another second. They certainly didn’t as they powered through their set with no breaks and full steam at all times. This was my first time listening to the band, and their energetic blend of country rock and light jamming impressed me enough to know I’ll be seeing a full show of theirs at my next opportunity. A fantastic performance all around.
From the onset of the Dead & Co’s first set, it felt like the gears all fell into place just right. They kicked off with the relatively rare “In the Midnight Hour” before John got to strut his stuff in a rousing “Bertha”. They segued nicely into a jammy version of “Jack Straw” for an epic opening stretch.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
Everything about this first set felt like a night and day difference from the previous night. The band was locked in and we could feel it through every inch of the crowd. Things really began to peak during “Brown Eyed Women”. Another song perfectly suited for John’s playing style, and his chemistry with Jeff Chementi on the keys was on full display during their long and eventful exchange of leads.
On any other night that would’ve been an absolute peak of a first set, but they weren’t done delivering just yet. To close out the set, they invited Sturgill back on stage, where he led the charge through a stirring version of “Morning Dew”. The rotation of special guests into Jerry’s role in some of his most memorable songs created a beautiful tribute to his memory. Even if Jerry wasn’t specifically mentioned by name during the show, we could all feel his presence during these special moments where artists of today got the chance to fan the flames of the Dead’s spirit and impart themselves into the ever-growing musical landscape.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
Spirits were high in all corners of the field after that triumphant first set, but the best was still to come. The band took the stage again as day gave way to night, and the valves opened for a jammed out version of “Uncle John’s Band”. What felt missing from the first night came out in full force during the nearly 20-minute excursion. The playing sounded focused with the kind of patience you’d expect from a “Dark Star” jam. John’s flowing leads traveled over rhythmic additions from every band member, and all of us in attendance dialed into the vibe in a true moment of unification. A perfect balance of space and melody.
The near-perfect jam came to an end with a triumphant transition into “Help on the Way”. An excellent way to kick up the energy after getting everyone into the groove. John shined again with his vocal delivery and flawless execution of the complex transition into “Slipknot”, where the band again let go of the reins and allowed the music to flow freely from the cloudy skies above into their instruments and into the captivated minds of the crowd. This was truly what we all came for.
They pushed through a forceful “Slipknot” and into the uplifting chords of “Franklin’s Tower” to complete the beloved trifecta. For me, it doesn’t get much better than this. One could argue for many songs that represent the quintessential Dead sound, and Franklin’s fits every criteria. Its uplifting lyrics and joyful progression of sound made the perfect contrast to the spacey explorations in UJB and “Slipknot”. They let this version breathe for close to 12 minutes, and every second brought us all closer to a level of transcendence we’ve come to expect from the best live performances.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
The gifts kept coming when Grahame came out once again to sit in for an exploratory version of “St. Stephen”. Another classic from the catalog that felt special in this moment as we celebrated the legacy of a band that’s enriched our lives so much, which hearkened back to when Primal Dead first blossomed into the world just steps away from where we stood.
“St. Stephen” helped lay the groundwork for everything we experienced during GD60, and its performance here opened the wormhole and connected us to that revolutionary moment in time. It’s all a singular experience continuing to unfold through nights like these, and this music has the power to bridge the gaps of time and space as the moment continues to expand ahead us.
Drums gave us a little room to breathe after such a barn-burner of a sequence, but not by much. Mickey and Jay did what they do best and created dream-like landscapes with percussive paint brushes, and when the band returned for Space they briefly dipped into a “Spanish Jam” before gently moving into “Days Between”.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
The late-era ballad served as another fitting tribute to Jerry, and to the many years between his death and this celebration we could all be a part of. So many obstacles, so many days; both in our community and our individual lives. The performance provided a powerful chance to reflect on everything that has come along the way in the days between.
As I made my way towards the back for a little breathing room in the final stretch, I witnessed multiple people with their faces full of tears. The song itself is a bit drawn out, which somewhat hampered the momentum of the pre-Drums stretch, but the emotional tribute to a life lived hard told the story we’ve all come to know with this music: challenges will always come, but so does joy when we find our endless destinations.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
“Truckin’” served as a suitable follow-up to that poignant moment. The transition featured some tasty teases of “The Other One” before rocking our brains and reminding us of what a long, strange trip it’s been so far. “Cold Rain and Snow” felt slightly out of place as a set closer, but the band put up a rousing version before coming back to Earth with the timeless “Brokedown Palace” that put the stamp on the set’s stunning narrative.
The second night will rightfully go down as one of the best Dead & Co shows of all time. While I personally would’ve liked to see a couple of different setlist choices – how did we not get a “Dark Star” during an anniversary celebration in San Francisco? – the gifts we received during this show justified the journey to get there, and the journey that still lies ahead. We weren’t done just yet though.
Keep on Shakin’ on Any Street
The final day of GD60 proved the old saying of “never miss a Sunday show.” Things kicked off with the most recent iteration of the Trey Anastasio Band taking the stage for a slightly longer 90-minute set. Going in as a Phish fan already, this was icing on the cake. The group tore through several classic Phish and Trey tunes with excellent execution. The layered contributions of the horn section and the laid-back nature of the jams make a nice contrast to a Phish show and an excellent way to set the stage for our finale.
Mid-way through the set, Trey took to the mic as he often does to tell a story of what it meant to him to be a part of this celebration and the impact Jerry had on him as a guitar player. He then led the band in their debut performance of the JGB standout “Mission in the Rain”. A classy move that filled the hearts of fans for both Jerry and Phish with love.
Photo by Jesse Faatz
Dead & Co set the stage for their final GD60 performance with “Let the Good Times Roll” followed by the eternal pairing of China > Rider, which went a solid distance during the epic transition jam. “They Love Each Other” came next also with an extended version where Jeff showed off his skills on the keys once again. The first set jams didn’t let up during a full flavor “Shakedown Street” that got the whole field dancing to some funky explorations. The first set wrapped with a killer “Deal”, another one of John’s strongest songs that again had us all thinking of Jerry during set break.
My Dead and Phish fandom came full circle with the final sit-in of the weekend when Trey came back on stage to join the band for “Scarlet Begonias”. He was all smiles as he took the mic for lead vocal duties, and the band gave him ample room to fire off his signature style during the lengthy jam sequences. He and John displayed fantastic chemistry as they traded off dreamy lines like a flock of birds flying in formation over a yellow sky. Both added plenty of ideas to the conversation, but neither ever overshadowed the other. A beautiful and delicate dance that continued into an equally enthralling “Fire on the Mountain”.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
Everyone got to spread their wings throughout the 30-minute sequence. Oteil, Bob, and Trey traded off verses in Fire, and Mickey even fit in his rap before the closing jam. Each of the sit-ins over the weekend helped elevate these shows into rarified air, but for my money, the Scarlet > Fire marked the absolute peak.
Back during the 50th anniversary shows when Trey stepped into the lead guitar role, the night they played Scarlet > Fire became infamous for when Bruce Hornsby seemed to jump the gun on the transition into Fire just as Trey appeared ready to take off. 10 years later, Trey finally got his chance to explore the reaches of these cherished songs, which also happen to be what Phish played during their first known public performance in a cafeteria back in 1983. Another moment of the story coming full circle during a history making performance.
Grahame graced the stage once again to continue the tributes to his father as he led the band through the beloved ballad “Broken Arrow” while donning Phil’s signature Big Brown Bass. Grahame was a standout contributor to the entire weekend between his sit-ins with Dead & Co, plus his own three-day event, The Heart of Town, where dozens of musicians rotated in and out to celebrate the evolving impact the Dead continues to impart on the world of music. Grahame will surely be one of the biggest flag bearers of this community, and his father’s memory, for years to come.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
They kept the energy up in the “Hell in a Bucket” that followed, and Grahame returned once more to handle bass duties in “Cumberland Blues”. While performed to their highest standard, both songs felt a little out of place in this part of the set where a jammed out “The Other One” or something with similar explorations would’ve taken this set over the stratosphere. A minor nit-pick considering how well they played throughout the set.
The final Drums/Space sequence again segued into the night’s showcase ballad, “Standing on the Moon”. Like “Days Between” the night before, the weight of the song’s meaning felt heavier than usual through Bob’s grizzled performance. The man continues to be a source of true inspiration. After dedicating so much of his life to performing this music, his years on the road are poetically displayed by the wrinkles under his gray beard. The fact that he’s able to still perform at such a high level this late into his career is a testament to this musical movement he helped form, and hearing some of Jerry and Robert Hunter’s most meaningful songs through his weathered voice reinforces their timeless power.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
The band still had enough time for a few more classic picks to kick the energy up in the finale. John tore through an excellent “Sugaree” to complete the collection of his best leads. “Sugar Magnolia” upped the ante again as one of the Dead’s most uplifting songs even with the “Sunshine Daydream” tag left off presumably for time constraints. Finally, the traditional place for a somber ballad like “Ripple” at the close was instead filled by an anthemic “Touch of Grey” to send everyone out with another fitting message of perseverance through all of life’s lessons.
You can’t argue against the message behind the song as a great closing statement to such an incredible celebration across these three days. In 2025, we’re facing difficult and unprecedented times as a society. Dark days lie ahead as we navigate the rough waters, but no matter what unfolds it will always be vital to our existence to maintain our connection to the beautiful wonders of the world at large. The Dead community illuminates one of humanity’s most joyous movements, and moments in time like this weekend in San Francisco shine the brightest light.
Photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
Regardless of where society takes us over the coming decades, there will always be people dancing away to the music of the Dead. Thanks to the work of people like Bob and his Dead & Co bandmates, countless others like Grahame Lesh and every musician out there who allows the music to flow through them in their own playing, and the many more who take to local stages to pay tribute to the Dead in their own communities; we all fan these flames so that the spirit of the Dead will carry on for generations to come.
GD60 may have been a touchstone moment in the timeline, but the river runs long, and the moments are far from over.
Featured photo by Jay Blakesberg & Alive Coverage
