Grateful Dead - West 57th (CBS) 1985

[eslmc]

Anybody remember the China Garden, dancing to the house band? Good time with a house full of "Heads"

[Favstout]

"Hi, President Nixon!"

[dancinglight2013]

Misfit Power!!!! (~};}

[phatstax2011]

Priceless footage is definitely what this is all about. The media has never gotten on the bus or the world would be a better place by now.

[LongHairedGnome1]

Never had such a goodtime. Probably never will again. Thats why I live the dream every day of my life. Way to short to be cluttered.

[buddyiodine]

The interviews are kind of dumb; you've heard it all before. Priceless footage though.

[tjhillgardner]

What a bullshit narrative the CBS reporter spins. He obviously has a lot of hangups about drugs. But then again, that's not surprising. Look at the police state so many of our fellow citizens are willing to tolerate. People who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither.

[cruzinbutterfly]

Hey y'all... to my friends Miles & Jeff S. from Conn. My tour buds! Nevah Had such a good time! Summer 85!!!! Luv, Samira

[Broudy8]

I loved both days!!

[taylor410ce]

5:00 lucky basterd..

[krispysmurf]

@mcdstuff

perfectly said...

[TedWilkins2]

I was there both days with my best friend Chuck. Down from SF, staying with friends in Santa Barbara. Unbelievable shows, especially first day. First set Fire on the Mountain resonated deeply, as the hills were burning on the drive down. Love this venue. Never forget watching a high wire act on the UCSB stadium wall later that night.

[tjw3999]

sure miss those days best days of my life. good ole grateful :D

[MrGrevy]

The "reporter" was disgustingly biased.

[treadlightlynow]

i think this journalist is "still growing up" ...be fun to see him there & doing these interviews after just coming on to 200mics of pure acid . His questionings & observations my tke on something a little more cosmic than measuring things in numbers of followers & success of albums . Jerry looked like hell and it was just this next year he almost died . I went to Ventura 87 which was a blast , they used 86 show wrist bands since that show got cancelled . Also had a blast in Laguna Seca ...

[lalizona]

My ex-husband is 5:55 into the video... he's fryin high!!!

[KreiderJr]

"We're good people" <3

[Clint45s]

You know...I was born and raised in Ventura, 30 yrs....and then I moved from home, because of babies and the need for money...Dam...Big mistake. But a little memory. When the dead started coming to Ventura...boy what a mind blower. At first- it scared hell right into me...lol... it scared me, hell the trip I took, Not for the weak. But I have to say, I’ve grown to appreciate Gerry Garcia's music, Its part of me. I draw on it constantly, when entertaining myself, In my one man gargeBand. Winks

[what1111000]

too bad jerry and madonna didn't jam together

[casualtySR]

ahahaha that madonna act...lolllll terrible

[olarte313]

music is freedom in and from time... awesome

[tommytentiming]

live aid just looks like the worst concert ever now

[PinkFloydrulez]

hi president nixon

[dirtyboy601]

134 people need to take a bath

[TheMitchymitch13]

@dirtyboy601 no you need to take a bath...dirtyboy

[charfman84]

who were they referirng to when they said mysterious death?

[yguaray]

The only venue where I went to every show and this year I took my Dad and his second wife to the second show! God Bless him and Jerry and Brent etc.

Augy San Diego

[ogallie]

♥ Here is to the 2nd Gen!!! First show: Alpine Valley..6/28/16@ 14 years...So many roads to ease my soul!!! ♥

[ogallie]

Here's to the 2nd gen!!!

[All1Planet]

Check Phil singing "Wish You Were Here" on April 16, 1999 (on archive.org)!

[RatDog67]

Bobby screwed up the words for TRUCKING....classic

[dingoswamphead]

Thanks for posting this. It is a nice reminder of what a miracle this band and this music have been.

Be nice to each other.

[xKeVyOx]

Pigpen died from bacteria in the blood due to ulcers in the stomache.

[duaino12000]

I was here for both days, camping in the parking lot, what a weekend. never even heard about farm aid until Sunday! lol

[dershed]

I want to go back in a time machine and marry the girl at 0:55

[liberatethelemons]

For just the right girl, once she hears them, she's a DeadHead. Don't matter if she was only 8 when Jerry died, that she's only known about this music for about two years. or if she only has the chance to dance to the cover bands. Doesn't matter if she never gets to travel with the Family [but would love to]. All she has to do is listen to "Ripple," and she's a Head forever. She, I, can still miss Jerry. Once I delved, the feeling of who we've lost was instantaneous. Bless the dead.

[ChicoBands]

Whipple!!!!! (6:25)

[thesyd1975]

hippies did not die out on 31dec 1979,thats what sum people think,dates are just manmade concept just like the term hippie,made up by the press to describe something they didnt understand.you either like the music or you dont!!!!

[HaydenFromHell]

Jerry in red, Trouble ahead.

[sleadie59]

I was backstage for this show

[shaqdevils]

I was at the shows and the Live Aid thing cut in to the Dead at some point during the show.

I can't remember what song they did, but they did Live Aid from Ventura if I am not just completely tripping. Which I might be, does anyone else remember that?

My brother and I spent the entire weekend sleeping on cheap chez lounges in the dirt parking lot and loved it! Those were the days, I miss the late great Jerry Garcia.

[go311]

I thought all hippies died in the 70s?

[GothElven]

ups, we are still around!

[rennyminou]

Nice clip-TY for posting. Good times.

I'm just finishing reading the book "Dark Star-an oral biography of Jerry Garcia" and it's a very interesting thing. I've laughed and cried through this book.

I just so wish Jer had never gotten into, as Rotolo posted, "the evil H."

[bmsuta]

Is that Catherine Keener in the back of that bus???

[parmamagoo]

No one comes close to the power and magnitude of the Grateful Dead.

[ragingtortoise]

6:23 you got it bro

[aeroshine]

I grew up watching Bob Sirott on WLS 7. Very cool broadcaster!!

I never new this piece existed. Very cool. Boreal on Donner, would have loved to have been at that show

[rotolo]

i just watched 1980 rockpalast "althea" and now i truly realize how badly jerry was affected by the evil h..

[TheRealtMG]

Bobby making a crazy sign at 8:17. LOVE IT!

The journalist is Bob Sirott from Chicago.

[TheRealtMG]

"All through word of mouth"

Quick! Go start decorating your mail order envelope!

[samuelson2112]

I like "Mickey Hart" dancing at 2:15 lol

[teleevangelist]

opening video, is about a bunch of gay females, then

[whojim13]

2:14 - 2:27 Brilliant!

[TheBriarcliffBoys]

in 73 a band member died mysteriously?? Total crap. Pigpen died for reasons everyone knew...drinking that ripple.

[JustJake57]

@TheBriarcliffBoys actually it was something a bit more 'hard' that Ripple. Does Uncle Jack ring a bell?

From someone fortunate enough to have seen the Dead with Pig on stage.

[briteness]

There are things you can always count on the media to get more or less wrong. The presenter's tone is just...wrong. But nice to see this anyway.

[dershed]

@briteness I agree, he really seems to be trying to get to the "dirt" in most of the fan interview segments (for example, "what is it besides the music *wink*wink* that keeps you coming back to the shows?"). Still, the report is certainly less condescending in tone than anything you'd see on TV morning show nowadays, plus they got some great footage of the crowd and the band. Overall a pretty good news segment on the Dead scene, and a great window into summertime fun a quarter century ago.

[smartalek1]

@dershed "the report is certainly less condescending in tone than anything you'd see on TV morning show nowadays"

Truth?

Good thing I haven't watched tv in years.

Srsly, you have so much more patience and poise than I do.

I can't tell which is more offensive, the "journalist"'s presumptions of what's normal / acceptable / desirable in a person's life, or his highly questionable values, as indicated by his constant harping on the issues of drugs and money.

[sushifool]

It's not about the worship of drugs, it is all about the music and freedom. I think a lot of people only have the church as an outlet for there live music and dancing.  But with music there is no bullshit to believe, you cant fake it. The music will never stop.

[taylor410ce]

@sushifool you and I think that same.

[mse1576]

Drugs ended Jerry's life much too soon. I've heard through tehe Grapevine that the health of those remaining isn't the greatest. Why the worship of drugs?

[pidza21]

never trust the grapevine

[conormori]

Because if you can't see it then your just being ignorant with what your parents have told you or what you've seen from the media. When it comes to the Dead, physchedelics are just part of the fun. the types of drugs they advocated were ones that people WANTED and CHOSE to take, like marijuana and lsd. NOT something like cocaine or heroin, which people are hopelessly addicted to.

[pholt999]

@mse1576

you heard wrong

[JerryGarciaBand]

"Music is freedom, in and from time..." Gotta love that guy! Dead AID! Two great shows from '85, check em out on the archive.

[duaino12000]

very cool watching this, I was at these 2 shows and really did not have any idea that the Farm Aid was going on! lol oh well I was at a Dead show!

[dizubz]

great! thanks for posting

[vauxhall908]

They put a Spell on you???

[maggie37206]

2 beautiful days at the beach

[RATTLEY67]

Enjoyed it Thankyou

[ColleenKN]

I was sixteen on 9Hitz the TRip was UNREAL...Summertime dun come and gone my O my !

[deweypug]

Madonna's schtick seems so silly now.... especially compared to the music and scene of the Dead.

[Inspector711]

even more silly is that she was put in the rock and roll hall of fame.

[Trey4Fun]

The Grateful Dead has a HUGE amount of AMAZING original music. I'm not a deadhead, I've never done LSD, I very rarely smoke pot and this band's repertoire is Unique and huge best-of-class

[MrTaylorN]

Jerry wasn't the "band leader" they all in it together.

[MrTaylorN]

...they *are* all in it...

[trippcatt]

Like the way Garcia played ...When we all lead the Parade..THOSE WHERE THE DAYS...!

[KeeshaJim]

when i was in college the cool bands were the dead,rem,the smiths, the ramones and the talking heads...and others

[feedconditothesharks]

Such an incredible band... but ti really think his video kind of misses the point (at least as far as the narrators go) in that one of the wonderful things was that they didn't try to recreate some snapshot of 1967-- they just played real and vibrant music. For me, it wasn't a time-warp or nostalgia or an excuse to do drugs.. They just played incredible music, each night creating a real and spontaneous experience. Every show (even with the goofs and clunkers) as fresh as 20 years before...

[JPatrick06]

Good point and well said.

Great footage of a really fun period in the scene, but what can we expect from an 'outside' narrator? - Journalists tell stories using the same old plot lines people can recognize~

[pingswinger]

. . . never had such a good time in my life before . . .

[folkrockm14]

there will never be anyone like em.i miss jerry man

[oxford1988]

seeing the crowd dance man makes me miss it so much

[stezothewhitenegro]

Wow

the girl at :58 is yumm ie!

why on earth did I waste the early 80's with The smiths,joy division, EESH even madonna!

Fronting on being a morbid euro cock.

This is real music! awesome! i only went to 2 shows at rfk at the end of it! thank god for all these great you tube vids.

jam on dead.....The specials .......and jimmy cliff!

[ChumpJoe]

Because the Smiths fucking ruled.

[stezothewhitenegro]

but Mozz

is still the best lyricist ever

[jerrysaddiction]

i saw them and it was worth every second. thanks 4 the great video. something shakin on shaketown street.

[geekorthodox9]

the magics in the music and the musics in me.

[bluepuma3]

I was at this show. I camped in the stables. Ventura was a great venue. The ocean was a hundred yards from the show. When we found out this was going to be on television we were afraid our parents would figure out what we were doing. We were right on the rail against the stage. My friend shows up at 3:53. The next year she sat on the speaker on stage behind Brent. Small world.

[rocknrolla81]

what a band. I never got to see them live. I was too young. But I know they played just a fews miles away from where I live in 1968 in Sultan WA, and that just gives me the chills to even think that.

[Sunflower0122Z]

It's great that they included the hot line message. Kids that was before the internet....all in all not a bad piece for the news :)))))))

[missnjerry675]

1-900-RUN-DEAD was the hotline. I still have a magnet somewhere.

[psychedelichippyfish]

I can't stop watching this! God, it just makes me so... happy. I had a dream about the GD last night (yes, I'm obsessed) and it was sooo wonderful and blissful. But then I woke up... Bummer, right?

[ZenOfTube]

Nice duds 4:45

[RebubulaXsea]

Man, I really wish that drugs were not a part of GD/Phish/any music...its all good i guess, obv a big part, but shit wouldnt that be sweet! (5:59, exactly my point, how about love, and good music? oops, and 6:25 :P) and Either way, we are fans of the best music in the world..I thought this after seeing Paul Simons Zimbabwe concert here on youtube...esp 'Diamonds on the soles of her shoes','Graceland' &'You can call me Al' It just seemed like complete sobriety in the crowd as oppose 2 other gigs.

[detroitfunk]

except you seem to miss the fact that all of that music wouldn't have been created without the prior use of drugs. read phil lesh's autobiography. 25% of it is about how important lsd was in the creation and transformation of the dead and the whole experience over the years. to this day grateful dead music and lsd go together like peanut butter and jelly..

[Alfrunk]

Drugs were/are part of exploration. Not many great artists/writers/musicians were drug free. Grow up.

[EchoCannon89]

this announcer is such a douche!

[bellinghamster]

LOL I can remember calling the grateful dead hotline number!

[Plushie12345]

Sheesh...Madonna in 85. I still don't understand her appeal except that she can look hot.

[Plushie12345]

My first show was at Ventura 7/18/82. I love this film. The guy at 1:20-1:22 was a roommate of a high school friend. I remember his name as being Ed.

Re Boreal Ridge: I have the show on CD, and it sounds fine to me. It isn't 2/13/70, of course, but acceptable for '85.

[UpOntheSun26]

For the historical aspect, I like the part at the very end where you here the telephone hotline informing of the show on 8/24/85 at Boreal Ridge which turned out to be one of the worst shows they ever played. Ask any true Deadhead and they'll tell you: 2 hours and 15 minutes of pure sonic trash.

[evolutionbanjo]

widespread panic = good rock n roll

[psychedelichippyfish]

chea. panic's like the new school dead..

i mean, the dead owns but.. ya know

[Alfrunk]

panic? Not really they peaked. No one cares about them anymore

[nlandess]

I never really thought about it before, but given how involved Bill Graham was with Live Aid, it is kinda surprising that the Dead were not involved somehow.

[skiingisgoodforyou]

The Dead couldn't play Live Aid because they were booked to play Ventura. Besides at that time the Dead weren't one of the "mainstream" acts that played Live Aid. Ventura that year was called "Dead Aid".

[noreaster08]

don't ya just love 'em

[aeroshine]

Followed the Dead on tour and otherwise whenever possible for many years. Grew up listening to Bob Sirott on WLS in Chicago. Never knew they had a connection. Nice pre '87clip of Touch of Grey

[StDarkstarChina]

Wow! I remember cresting the Conejo Grade into the verdant farm land and tuning KLOS just in time to hear "And we'll back with The Who live from Live Aid" Listened to the set on the way to place the car. Beautiful shows on the sands of Ventura...

[oriole4789]

I was at the Boreal Ridge show as well. Not a great show, but a terrific spot nestled along a ski slope. You had to board a bus that took you up the mountain and into the show. I wish I was 18, and could take that ride again. AGAIN!!!

[oriole4789]

I was at this show. Where the surf meets the Dead's turf. It was like a psychedellic rodeo of deadheads. Good shows too. Far From Me and Not Fade Away were among my favorites. Rock on Deadheads... We always had the best time.

[Kohntarkosz]

Wait a second...is that Touch Of Grey they're playing at the beginning there? That's interesting...they used a clip of a song that wouldn't actually be released for another two years, and which oddly, would be their only top 10 hit.

[sruckoldt]

Touch of Grey was first played in Concert in 1982

[StDarkstarChina]

The crowd/live scenes of the video were (partially, at least) filmed at the Friday night 1988 Laguna Seca shows.

[deanmoriarty23]

Ha! Jerry in red! Gotta love it!

[mypwesh]

That is so great... at the very end... you hear a recording from the old grateful dead hotline... REMEMBER THAT??? oh shit, I was not expecting to hear that voice - talk about bringing me back in time- - THANK YOU FOR THAT!

[lafaire888]

AHHH that hotline voice and the days when my mail order tickets arrived GREAT MEMORIES!

[TheGratefulDead1]

They weren't the best at what they did they were the only Ones that did it.

[cornwejf]

I've seen 58 shows, and still do not have my card... I guess you have to have to go to over 100 shows to get a card...

[muckstar23]

no-420

[tony45347]

I accidently ate my card, thinking it was something else.....oh well.

[moecreek70]

never had a top 40 hit, haven't made an album in the last 5 years, don't advertise, these simple words make me smile .

[danielweintraub]

i love this...love this!

my versions of a few dead tunes toob/danielweintraub

[jerr1969]

ok, thank you

[skiingisgoodforyou]

Oh my goodness, at 6:42 when the guy says that Dead Heads have been doing LSD that they know what they're doing! Damn right, I did so many doses at shows, my brain if perma tie dyed!

[cornwejf]

Apparently in 73 someone died mysteriously?!? Pigpen? He fucking drank himself outta here... what lame clip of "being a deadhead. But I guess it is to each person what it means to be a deadhead...

[jerr1969]

They never sent me the card, have you seen my card???

[muckstar23]

yep,..i ate it

[Darrylizer1]

God, Live Aid sucked balls, I'd much rather have been at the Dead show.

[dodgingasteroids]

only 100,000 across the nation?....brother we could take over this country in a milasec......hmmm, sounds good to me.

[ACUTS07]

This was not a bad special actually he was not a total dick to everyone...

and

I miss it....

LSD.... Rainbow and the Dead... together...

I miss that too.

Drugs wore us out though.... we grew from it all.. I did... drugs are a gateway..if you like..you have to move and put into action all the ideas and concepts...Allot of us did not..

Jerry was a casualty... and sadly to keep us all alive...he forced us to all grow.

[emmerfarro]

Air guitar on top of porta -potties, trippin balls.....LOL!!!! :)

[calico743]

hell ya, never forget that hotline. thank you so very much for the memory....we miss you guys!!!

[dPCentrifuge]

200 show vet here and I still want more!!!! Man I miss "THE SHOWS".Good thing I taped(audio). I cook out w/ The Grateful Dead evey chance I get...hello Spring weather :) "Who were the Grateful Dead and why did they keep following me around?" Great footage :)

[inkme113]

awsome flashback!! forogot all about that hotline...miss thoose guys

[sruckoldt]

Ha, Bob Sirat (?sp?) I like that guy, he does news here in chicago. Funny.

: )

[kubes]

woah jerry looks horrible....he was only 45 in 1985.

[SturgeonsLaw]

yeah jerry was very sick in 85 and didn't know it. a heavy drug use period and what was later found to be adult onset diabetes was taking its toll. 85 shows were very uneven because of it. Some great shows, some real dogs. By '86 it was terrible, culminating in the coma. Fortunately he recovered and the years from '87 to '90 (or '91 if you like the Hornsby stuff) were another high point.

[weirdo0521]

AWESOME! I have been looking for a copy of this for 15 years! Thank you very much

[hlazcm]

Those Ventura shows were so fun. Surfing in the morning, dancing all afternoon, and sleeping on the beach.

[elbo33]

Would love to hear the rest of that Looks Like Rain jam. What show??

[Deadfreeeak]

Trouble ahead ....jerry in red !

[myphanny]

Jerry in red!

[luckyoldsun]

Yes Jerry started to wear red after he was busted in SF shortly after New Years 1985. He was busted in the park.

[710haightashbury]

And 1:16 please.

[710haightashbury]

excuse my ignorence but what is the song on 2:06

[ClueSign]

It's the bridge to 'Might As Well', which was a Jerry solo tune.

[710haightashbury]

God bless you cluesign!

[ClueSign]

Sure kiddo -- it's on "Reflections" -- nice little tune. Happy New Year and blessings all around!

[710haightashbury]

Same to you!

[harleygrip]

Nice to see this posted-I'm in this video as well-serving up hot burritos to hundreds of heads,funny they show a guy saying 'were the egg roll people' then they show us-'The Burrito People' serving it up.Nice to us havin such a good time. Good ol Ventura and the Dead by the beach.

[briandavisradio]

I'm just curious, why didn't the Dead play Live Aid ? Was it because they already had this particular show booked ? Did they not believe Live Aid was legit ? Again, I'm only curious not being critical.

[muckstar23]

they probably werent asked . GD arent exactly mainstream ya know,,,be sides TOO SMALL looked pretty packed ,east coast show in the summer>>> 50-thousand more people minimum . would have been interesting though... truly

- two worlds colliding

[jaspitz]

They did appear at least once during Live aid via video link...they played Maggie's Farm. Don't remember the year, but it was broadcast nationally.

[JoshDone]

jaspitz, you might be thinking of Farm Aid, during which they televised "Maggie's Farm" from Madison Square Garden in September 1987.

[jaspitz]

I stand corrected, you are 100% right. Good call.

[mylifeisought]

I like the reference to the Boreal Ridge show at the very end

[ColleenKN]

I was at all these shows 2

[briva]

OMG! I was there and just saw myself! I had no idea this existed. 22 years ago - totally freaking out.

[paradisewaits9]

Great video--thanks for putting it up

[blues805]

I have been looking for this video for 22 years! I saw on TV when it first aired, and have been searching for it ever since. Ventura is my hometown and the place where I first "got on the bus". Thank you so much for posting this!

[joebroomhead]

thats so funny. I video taped this the night it was on! I let a friend borrow it and his mentally unstable mother threw it away..something about the grateful dead and Satan..lol wow.. hadn't seen this in over 2 decades.. tough to believe huh?

[3chrds]

joan baez lookin all good

[WEIR4EVER]

And I'll be darned if I wusnt right there....

[wygakyl]

Lovin' it, man, this was my crew...the crowd, the band, the fun, the amazing music, different each time, the swirling sirens..and herbs & balloons!! Nothing like a Nitrous swirl, and a Dead song, both ringing in your ears!

[harko67]

Does anybody know why any live dead from 1985 has that annoying tinny sound.

[muckstar23]

like it or not the grateful dead are as american as baseball and apple pie

[Deadhead225]

Where our intuition told us to go!

"What the ____ is this?"

My heroes - The Grateful Dead.

[madabox]

nice stuff

[davidaron]

Grate news footage, grate post!