Over the weekend, Fairfield Theatre Company’s Stage One presented the live simulcast of the Grateful Dead’s last tour, “Fare Thee Well”.   Three nights of the shows played live at Soldiers Field, Chicago, Il, the site of the last Grateful Dead shows with the late Jerry Garcia were shown to a very grateful crowd.

Modestly priced tickets, an almost throwback to ticket prices of live shows some 40 years ago and free to Fairfield Theatre Company members; the theatre slowly but surely filled with fans of all ages.

The  sound was,  as  one  would  expect  from Stage  One,  perfect  and at  times  hard  to differentiate between the applause from the live audience in Chicago and the very lively audience in Fairfield.  The video simulcast was technically flawless leaving us quickly transported to Chicago.  Present were not only the requisite tie dye and Grateful Dead tour shirts but also golf shirts and Nantucket Red colored shorts with loafers.  The fashion present embodied the always welcoming attitudes of Dead Heads and the diversity of its global fan base.

Clearly, great attention was paid by the staff to the planning of the evening.  The front few rows and side rows of seating were thoughtfully removed to enable people to dance. With a touch of perhaps tongue in cheek humor, the disco ball on the ceiling was softly lit when “Throwing Stones” began.

The  crowd  sang  with  each  chorus  and  clapped  at  the  end  of  each  song  seemingly oblivious or happily indifferent to the fact that they were watching a live simulcast on a movie screen.

Each of the three nights of shows featured different eras of the Grateful Dead’s vast catalogue of music.  The third and final night focused on the latter years of the band’s music while still remaining true to the expectations of the fans, played several of the older  gems.   From the  end of  the  second set’s  choice  of  “Not  Fade  Away” and the selections of the two final encores “Touch of Grey” and “Attics of My Life” the crowds both  in  Chicago  and  Fairfield  were  clearly  moved.   For some  a  tearful  eye  to  the definitive end of an era, for others a smile of joy for a great show; for me, both.

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One of the foremost purposes of Red Line Roots is community building and fostering. We are always happy to have guest writers share their stories and reviews, if you want to contribute please let us know: redlineroots@yahoo.com

About today’s guest writer: Bruce Swan

Bruce Swan is a regularly scheduled radio programmer on WPKN and host of “Music My Mother Would Not Like”.  His show can be heard on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Friday of the month from 1 PM to 4 PM ET on 89.5 FM, Bridgeport, CT; streamed and archived atwpkn.org/archive.   While leaning heavily on Folk Roots / Americana music, he would describe his tastes as “overall, eclectic”.

WPKN is an independent listener supported community radio station broadcasting  freeform style of  radio since 1963.