Grateful Dead - favorite photos of the band

That's from the SNACK benefit 3-23-75 at Kezar Stadium. (Students Need Athletics, Culture, and Kicks, organized by Bill Graham when funding was cut off for extracurricular activities in SF schools.)

That's Merle Saunders at the Hammond in the foreground, and Ned Lagin on the second Fender 88 in the background.

One of the most 'Grateful Dead' moments in their career - they hadn't played a show in almost 6 months, they appear at this massive event, with a bunch of superstars - Dylan, Neil Young, Jefferson Starship (and people like Willie Mays and Marlon Brando!) and this is the setlist:

Blues for Allah>Stronger than Dirt>Drums>Stronger than Dirt>Blues for Allah (Johnny B Goode as the encore.)

www.archive.org/details/gd1975-03-23.sbd.miller.110126.flac16

 

Onesie More Saturday Night!

 

Hey, that's Steve Martin

 

from the 1974 golden state bluegrass festival I believe.

 

Steve Martin eh! Seems right to me. Thanks for pointing that out. I know the pic but never thought about the other guys to much

 

what other band would get a response like this? NONE!

 

the other gent is john mceuen of the nitty gritty dirt band. they played that day too. I saw steve martin open for them at Carnegie hall around that time with the john Hartford/vassar clements duo also on the bill. they all played together for the finale.

 

Mountain Girl and I think that is they guy that played Cornelius on Planet of the Apes.

 

Too soon for the Holiday?

 

That is just outstanding. Look how dressed up he is.

 

I like how he has a kazoo in his pocket.

 

It kind of looks like his finger is missing. I didn't think he was this young when that happens. I could just be bent at the knuckle in the photo.

 

wiki says he was 4 when it got cut off, I would have said he's five in the photo just on looks, but that's only a guess.

 

He was likely working with the nub at that this point.

 

Maybe it's the same kazoo he used in Alligator!

 

And one would think that this would be played at The Pyramids..but Nope!

 

Every get the feeling they were really, really high for this show and just didn't put that much thought into it? More of a vacation than a production.

 

Yup. (I’m writing in Cheech and Chong voices , feel free to act out the parts)

“Hey man, what if we played a show at the Great Pyramid?”
“No man, what if we played a show IN the Great Pyramid. Now that would be far out!”

End of conversation.
Fast forward several months...

“So what are we gonna play?”
crickets....
“Didn’t we once play a song with crickets? We should do that one.”