23 February 2008

Scarlet Begonias



I went to my first Grateful Dead show in the summer of '92. I was sixteen and highly impressionable. Needless to say, after that show, I was hooked. For the three years that followed, I went to see them any chance I could until Jerry's body finally had enough.

Now I'm not the kind of Dead Head that holds a vigil every August to commemorate Jerry's death or goes to Rat Dog shows just to keep the dream alive. No, I'm not that guy, but I collected some experiences from those three years that will always have an effect on the person I am and will continue to be.

(Holy shit. I'm sorry, I don't know what the hell just happened there.)

I like to sneak in my appreciation of the Grateful Dead's music from time to time with a subtle sign here and there. A few of the posts I've put up were titles to songs or albums, our chickens' names are Dead tunes, and one of my favorite plants in our house is a scarlet begonia.

This particular begonia is my third attempt (forth if you talk to Meg) at growing one of these things. I thought I would never be able to keep one, but this one has been in our home for almost two years and for the first time buds have begun to appear.



In celebration, I've been playing the Dead off and on all day. Why not all day? Well I'm a hockey fan too and there was a game on.

6 comments:

baloghblog said...

what was your first show?

(former dead head too...)

Anonymous said...

I went to three shows in the 80s, I really enjoyed myself and they made a big impression on me too.

Unknown said...

Baloghblog, My first show was 6.6.92 in Buffalo, NY. I was very lucky to have a friend with very cool parents. All they asked was that I buy my own ticket and enjoy the ride.


Patrick, Ah the '80s. There were some really good shows to come from that decade; and unfortunately some really bad ones too.

baloghblog said...

Too funny. That was my first Dead show as well. Great show too. I have it downloaded and play it every so often.

I don't listen to the Dead as much as I used to, but once in a while I jones for a little Jerry and go on a listening spurt.

Tom Reilly said...

I went to my first dead concert in
1971 in jersey city at the stanley theater "second largest to radio city" now a jehova witniss center.
I actually had tickets to all three shows,$7.00 a ticket, and couldn't go to the last show. I went outside of my house in Bayonne,NJ and gave them to the first girl I saw. I always wondered if she went.

Unknown said...

Baloghblog, A good deal of my early twenties were spent listening to nothing but the Dead and a few random artists in there genre. It didn't take long however for me to realize that due to my Dead only diet I was missing out on a lot of really great music. So I too don't listen to as much Dead as I had in the past, but like yourself, I will at times find myself drawn back to it.


Treebark, There are no words to express how jealous I am that you got to see the Dead in '70s. A bulk of my favorite shows are from that decade.