In 1969 I lived in San Francisco from December thru March of 1970. I was working in a hospital on an internship. I worked on a general surgery floor and had contact with all types of patients. It was a valuable experience, but what I remember most about that time was my experience in the city. I remember the people, the culture, and the music. It was still a very free time and San Francisco was the center of that universe.
People led very open lives with no real boundaries. Drugs were cheap and harmless until later when amphetamines and cocaine took over and people began to die.
The memory of that time was brought back this week when I went to a Dead and Company concert. This group is made up of three members of the original Grateful Dead band and two or three guest musicians.
Last summer all of the surviving members of the band had the Fare Thee Well concert in Soldier’s Field. The ticket price for that concert was ridiculous but even so it quickly sold out. The Band members are aging but were surprised at the response (and the money they made). Due to that they decided to continue with this version of the group.
My son had asked if I wanted to go and I agreed. I drove to his house and he drove the rest of the way. We stopped and ate at a McDonalds. I hadn’t eaten there in years. It seemed different and certainly more modern. Now we eat a lot of Chicken and Broccoli and healthy stuff, but damn that burger tasted good. I had forgotten how much I like fast food. The whole night was bringing back memories.
Now the last concert I went to was about 20 years ago. It was a Peter, Paul, & Mary Concert at Ravinia. This was certainly different. From the time we parked and began to walk thru the parking lot I saw scenes of the past. Guys were running around shirtless, showing off their tattoos, or wearing some tie dyed material. Women were breast-feeding their babies. People were partying, throwing Frisbees, drinking and doing whatever. There were a few people trying to sell clothing and many people asking for tickets. Once we finally got in the Band had started. The music was great and I really enjoyed it and I really enjoyed looking at the crowd. There were a lot of 20s and 30s there. There were also a lot of 50-70s. I saw a lot of guys I would stereotype as old bald guys with ponytails, but I also saw some well-dressed folks who really were there for the music. There were also an awful lot of people there for the alcohol and the drugs.
I hadn’t been around that group for quite a while. I knew this was going to be different when the guy next to me pulled out a pill bottle full of marijuana and casually began to fill his pipe. My son elbowed me and told me to be cool and not say anything. As the night went on the dope increased. By the middle of the second set you could see waves of smoke all thru the place. There was one fairly obnoxious drunk but he was gone fairly quickly. I looked around and saw everyone dancing. Age, sex, clothing didn’t matter. We were concerned that one guy was so far under the influence of something that his dancing approached the level of a seizure. Everyone seemed to be having a very good time. I know I did. I’ve been listening to tapes of the concert ever since.
I missed the music. It is an important part of my life and at times I have let it go. I did like the folk music of the 60s, but I also liked bands like the Dead, the Who, the Allman Brothers, etc. I think I stopped really listening when glam rock came in and then the whole rap scene, which I could never get into. I know there is a whole generation of alternative music that I am totally ignorant about.
Did you ever wonder what the sound track of your life would sound like? I once told my wife that I wanted the Rolling Stone song “You Cant Always Get What You Want “ played at my wake. I still remember the “Big Chill” and thought that would be a cool way to go out. I think I told her that in my late 30s or early forties. Now I probably want people saying rosaries but maybe they could still hum a little Stones? I think I’ll put that in my will. Maybe now I’ll change the tune to Jack Straw so folks can sing the chorus “Roll On, Roll On” as they carry me out.
Whatever.
I just need to keep remembering some of the important stuff I have forgot.