Dead and Co

Fans of The Legendary rock and roll band, The Grateful Dead, are in the midst of the largest crisis they’ve experienced since the passing of their cherished and reluctant leader. It seems as though the resurgence of the band’s popularity, along with a multitude of events on the horizon have caused many of the Faithful to realize, once again, the entire world they live in is bullshit. Many whom have achieved the American Dream in the years since Garcia’s passing are now seeing that the dream they somehow purchased is an absolute nightmare. Household items, like furniture and children, are beginning to feel like gigantic anchors preventing a quick escape from their current realities. The spouses that have loved them unconditionally, since sometime following Soldier Field in July of 1995, are suddenly starting to bug the living shit out of them. According to internet chatter within the community, separation and divorce rates are higher than they’ve ever been since every 40 and 50 something year old is met with the sobering fact that their significant other doesn’t understand their current desire to just say “Fuck Everything” and buy an RV.

While we’ve all experienced the Blessings of Life with The Dead, it seems like the curses are now well past their developmental stages. Following announcements of Fare Thee Well in January, many people thought this would just be a nice weekend away. 8 months later, people are beginning to wonder why they ever married somebody that wasn’t absolutely obsessed with The Grateful Dead in the first place. Thousands of people that finally made their final payment on Credit Card Bills from Summer Tour, in 1995, last December are now back to 5 digit balances following Santa Clara, Chicago and the announcement of Dead and Company shows in New York. Watching it all go down is like watching a man that’s been on the wagon for 20 years start drinking again. It all seems OK initially until the train starts rumbling down the tracks with reckless abandon. Many in our community are well on their way to giving back everything they’ve achieved in the past 2 decades and couldn’t find a Shit to Give on a cattle farm. The sleeping Giant has awoken and the majority of US are just plain FUCKED! While I’m personally grateful to still have absolutely no desire to drink or use drugs, I have shopped for RVs as recently as an hour ago…

As someone that has attempted to be a voice of reason for the community, you might need to find another fuckin voice… I’m as sucked into the soup as most of you are. I have all I can do to not begin chasing the dreams I abandoned 20 years ago. The spark that existed long ago has been rekindled and turned into a 3 alarm fire. I’ve begun to wonder if I should’ve stayed under the rock I was hiding for the past 20 years. Here’s a few tips to keep your head from going too far up your ass as we move forward. The first would be to refer to an article I wrote months ago regarding The Shapiro Strategy. It’s the same strategy employed by all promoters to drive demand and create as much attention around their events as is possible. Don’t be misled to believe that there aren’t thousands of tickets still available for the MSG Shows. The Strategy is fine and it obviously generates free publicity, just don’t get sucked into it like the rest of the sheep. There’s a lot more shows coming and a lot more tickets coming as well. Once it’s all announced and ticketed, MSG tix will loosen up a bunch. Secondly, since Peter Shapiro is not involved in any way with this tour, those that thought someone else should have gotten that job for FTW, are getting their way now. If you look on TicketMaster’s Website, there’s plenty of Platinum Seats available. Platinum seats are tickets held back by the people promoting the show to scalp themselves. They keep a bunch of really good seats and list them on TM at prices equal to those being sold on the secondary market. You can read about it here Say what you want about Shapiro, he wouldn’t, and DIDN’T allow Platinum Seats for the FTW Shows. It’s really just scalping by the artists and those running the shows according to TM’s definitions. I wonder how many seats they’ve held back for those purposes at MSG? If you don’t buy them, they’ll be included in future releases. If you stay away from Platinum Seats, StubHub and the brokers, nobody will pay more than face by showtime. I personally think face is a little low for these shows. Dead and Company should have really charged more, $100 is really too cheap nowadays for Legendary Musicians. We bitch when prices are too high… I’m gonna bitch a little bit that they’re too low this time! Ever hear somebody say some shit like that? Now ya did! Thanks to Bob, Bill and Mickey for making these shows the best bargain in town! While I’m thanking people, I’d like to thank David Gans and Gary Lambert for the weekly group therapy session they provide on Tales From The Golden Road. They’ve been tremendous in helping everybody get back to life after returning from Fare Thee Well. Guys, I appreciate the environment you provide for all of us to continually reassess all the shit that happened in June and July and have a forum to talk to a radio about it. If you’ve ever been around David Gans, you understand all the shit that brother has to put up with. Everybody thinks they know him because he’s been on the radio in their home for so long. Not only that, they think he should remember them because they called in one time about 4 years ago. He does a great job pretending like he remembers people and shit that he definitely doesn’t remember. That show has helped me and I appreciate it! Love y’all!

Since I mentioned Peter Shapiro and the FTW Shows, All mail has been picked up from the Chicago Post Office and partial refunds are being processed. There were some problems with items that were picked up already not showing up on the Post Office’s tracking system as being picked up. Rest assured, they have been picked up and you will receive your partial refund shortly. All requests had to be postmarked by July 20th. As long as you’ve met that requirement, you’re good! There was only a 7% request rate for partial refunds. I’m sure it was well worth every penny whether you chose that option or not.

Here’s The State of The Union… The Guys that were at the top are back on the top. They’re raking it in as fast as Visa, MasterCard and American Express can pay it out. The folks that were close to the top are rapidly sliding down closer to the middle due to chasing the feeling the Guys at the top are providing again along with massive bills that are growing from Visa, MasterCard and American Express. The folks in the middle are sliding downward even faster and if they don’t get their shit together soon, will be on the bottom. The folks on the bottom listen to damn near everything the folks above them say as those same folks keep a foot on their head hoping they won’t be right there with them any time soon. Be nice to everybody, you never know where you’ll end up on this ladder. Bob Weir made some interesting statements about all of this in his movie, check it out. Ladies and gentlemen, your spouses have been putting up with your shit for a long time. If they don’t understand your desire to quit on life and become nomadic, cut them some slack. You were acting like a person that wasn’t completely out of their fuckin mind prior to January. Give them time to adapt to your completely irrational and illogical behavior. Don’t expect it to be easy. Most of the regular folks we’ve spent our lives with prior to being reunited with our Tribes are still great and Loving people. While internet forums and FB Groups along with our favorite musicians have done a great job getting all of US back together, don’t forget who has had your back prior to this year. They deserve your best as they’ve most likely given you theirs for the past 20 years. If none of this applies to you, you’re extremely fortunate, Be grateful for that! For anyone struggling, I’m gonna leave you with a nice guided meditation that’s been really helping get through all of this.
I suggest you do it at least twice a day, every day for a month. It will really help you get through it all! It’s right here—> Guided Meditation

I gotta go buy some more lottery tickets, catch ya later…

Dead To The Core,

Dean

78 thoughts on “Some Grateful, Some Dead… State of The Union and Partial Refund Update”

  1. Pingback: Some Grateful, Some Dead… State of The Union and Partial Refund Update | Grateful Dean | Blake's Blog

    1. Bruce grossman

      Brilliant. I love your analysis of the state of the Grateful Dead world.

      Thank you
      Bruce

  4. Arlene ivory

    Ha ha. I am ready to run away quit my job and leave my family. My husband doesn’t like the dead. Before chicago I was content with catching phil and friends at the capitol. Like you I would like to get an rv and take off. I Really Don’t Want To Cash In My 401K Since RETIREMENT Is Not That Far away. At least I know Its not just me. On my way to 7 11 for some lotto tickets.

    2. deb

      Haha, I’m in the same boat as you! While my husband, not into the dead at all, was understanding and even supportive when I told him I wouldn’t be at our 12th annual 4th of July blowout and he would have to host 30 plus people on his own and I would going to Chicago instead, he’s not as understanding about my desire to blow off our Halloween party when a friend called and said she has a ticket at msg for me. Lol! I have “bookend” kids 35 and 11, my little one is confused that I want to blow off these big parties while my oldest just shakes her head and told her step father oh god she’s on the road again! 🙂

  5. Lisa in CO

    I’m single too. Hey, Geoff! 😉

    I had no idea. Great, sane, words of advice. I, personally, have never stopped feeling the urge to ramble. That’s the American Spirit. It’s not for everyone. Your friends/family might not understand…and it does not mean you can’t have a rambling partner. Those of you that chose a different life, don’t jeopardize it all now. Be kind.

      1. Geoff

        hey Lisa! I’m in maine but have had some great times in CO…particularly in Boulder..there was that one halloween party at the boulder theatre where things were melting, and a girl dressed as a cow messed my mind up…but that was many years ago!

        there..slightly better

  6. juan

    You can read about it here Say what you want about Shapiro, he wouldn’t, and DIDN’T allow Platinum Seats for the FTW Shows.
    ‘

    YES HE DID HE JUST IT ANOTHER WAY THRU CID FOR A FEW GRAND, NO DIFFERNT THAN PLATNIUM TICKETS

    1. gratefuldean Post author

      I guess it’s similar but as someone that purchased a package, I can tell you that it was well worth it. Came with everything, they treated us great, buffet was delicious and abundant, we had our own entrance, lounge and bathrooms were clean and never crowded, transportation and accommodations were outstanding, cool posters were included for each night, a shirt and it all was taken care of in one single transaction.

      Platinum Tickets you get nothing but a seat… No added benefits at all. Just a scalped ticket…

      1. juan

        he sold just seats also for scalper prices not just hotels and packages, same as platnium tickets and forced you to buy them before actual public on sale date .

  7. TDub

    Thanks for another “Keeping it Real” post Dean.

    Schapiro is still a wank for taking the seats promised to GDTSTOO and put those good people in a bad light. ( I did ask for a refund because 2 of my 3 nights of $210 seats were either obstructed by sound equipment or by the stadium over hang…there, I got my poor me out.)

    Me and my crew did get MSG seats for both nights. We also found the perfect solution to the Significant Other dilemma, the wives are going to Broadway while we Trick or Treat at the Garden.

    So cheers to Dead & Company, The Big Apple and unlimited credit card limits! (Live now, pay later!)

  8. Jeff

    Hey Dean – some of us poor ol’ (60, that is) freaks are still just that – poor. We don’t have a hundred bucks to cough up per ticket, not “even” fer the boys. It’s what locked us out of FTW – we’re too worried about making the house payment. So, Not So Loud, OK? I’d love the band to cut folks in the lower income brackets a bit of a break so WE can meet up with the brethren and sistren too.

  9. Jeff

    Dean I think you are a decent individual, but your love affair with Shapiro is just sad. I am not sure if I believe the 7% refund rate. If it is true, Shapiro has lucked out and will get to keep more of the money he gained through dynamic pricing. For one of the shows I was under the balcony overhang. The view and sound were awful. My tickets should have been in the advertised seats. There is no defense to moving my seats under the guise of being able to fill more orders, which by the way I think is not necessarily true. My guess is Shapiro, GDTS, and others involved agreed on ticket locations early in, but locations changed once demand proved more than expected and the monitary gains won out. A promise is a promise. We have all been taught to honor our obligations, but apparently your friend either missed the lesson or chose to ignore it. I would have gone after a CID package, but backed off due to my mail order being filled. I felt it was better to let those not as fortunate get those tickets thinking I was getting what I paid for and was promised. I was wrong. I was fooled. I was a sucker. I love the shows. I loved Chicago. I did not love getting screwed. It is great you found a new friend. All I can say is watch your back.

    1. gratefuldean Post author

      LOL You’re funny bro… My Love affair! I’m the one that absolutely spearheaded the shit that got people refunds. Did you forget that? The ticketing fiasco was bullshit, I absolutely agree.

      1. Jeff

        I did not forget that you raised the issue on your site, but refunds would have been forth coming either way. I am not sure that the credit totally belongs to you. The lawsuits were inevitable. Shapiro knew that. I am sure his own legal council had advised him of the need to make things right. You are all right Dean and I have no problem with you. It just seems you have gotten really cozy with some that has lost a lot of trust in the Dead community.

  11. Jeri

    Dean, sometimes I hate the way you get up inside my head. I read this post on a brief break driving the RV from the peach to our small Midwestern home town. My hubby and I laughed for miles after booking the locked fest. So here is the rub, when you do marry someone also as obsessed with the dead and we too hid under a rock for 15 years…. there is no one to give the reality check that we will have to return to the real world to replenish the bank account. I have to say, it is great having someone on tour with me to boogie and discuss all the great moments of the show. Hope we run into you at the locked fest, brother. Maybe then you will send me the pic of us all at FTW:)

    1. gratefuldean Post author

      I sent you the pics Jeri! Either that or they got sent to another person that doesn’t know who the Hell those people are…. Resend me your email and I’ll resend the pics! Hope to see you at Lockn! We have to get in touch beforehand!

      1. Jeri

        Try to send it again, I don’t know how to post without it going public. We are going SVIP with the RV, and drive for 20 some hours. We would love to get in touch beforehand also.

  13. Jeff

    Not yet. They said 4-6 weeks, which should mean that the refund should arrive soon. At a 7% request rate it should not take very long.

  15. The Other Dean

    Here we are in September and I have yet to receive my refund. As much as I like being in limbo this is starting to make me nervous. Has anyone got their tickets/refund yet??

    1. gratefuldean Post author

      I contacted Peter Shapiro this afternoon and he told me that a lot more consideration had to go into the process than most would imagine. He said there would be an update by the end of the day today. I’ll keep y’all posted.

        1. The Other Dean

          Yes Dave. After Dean contacted Slack Peter then this was added to dead50.net

          “To those of you who sent in your refund claims, we want to let you know that we have received and processed all of your submissions. Over the next couple weeks, we will be cutting your checks and putting them, along with your original tickets, in your SASE envelopes and sending them back to you. You should expect to have everything back in the next few weeks. Thanks for your patience and fare thee well…”

  17. Jeff

    Why does the phrase “a lot more consideration had to go into the process” scare the crap out of me when Shapiro is involved? What is so difficult about looking at a ticket location and comparing the face value ticket vs. the price on the original seating chart? I would like my refund and the tickets I sent in returned. I feel like I am about to get screwed a second time.

      1. Jeff

        I certainly hope you are correct. The issue I have is per your earlier comment only 7% of tickets came back for a refund. It would seem at that small number that the amount of consideration on how to carry out the process would not negatively impact the return of money and tickets in the timeframe stated on the return form. I had to play by the rules set by Shapiro and mail my tickets by July 20th. He set the rules for the return period. I expect him to honor his commitment.

  18. Mark

    Yet again, somehow Shipiro feels like he can change the rules as he goes. I followed his process and am now at week 7 from the time my tickets arrived at his office (yes I added tracking at my expense due to my lack of trust with Mr. Shapiro). When someone commits to 4-6 weeks they must honor it or be labeled a poor businessman and a scam. You do not set a date and then hide behind “additional consideration was needed” unless you are very poor at business planning. Since Mr. Shipiro can pull off major events, I suspect he is solid at business but has a less than ethical side…scammer and dirtbag in my book. Send me my refund you crook. I will never support anything he is involved with. Back him all you want Dean, just be careful who you are associated with. Crooked businessmen suck!

    1. gratefuldean Post author

      Mark, My position on this matter hasn’t changed from day 1. While I’ve certainly given the management the benefit of the doubt, I’ve continued to work on behalf of US. Even though I personally won’t be getting a refund, I’ve continued to send texts and emails on our behalf.

  20. All Amusing Sun

    Thanks for the updated info! I am one of the 7%. I’ve been looking high and looking low and the only thing I think I know is that GDTS has been at the beach for a month.

  23. JD

    More than eight weeks after the deadline and no refund in my mailbox yet. I didn’t include the tickets with my request because I didn’t trust Shapiro to send them back to me – starting to think that was a wise decision. Where is our money, Pete??

    1. gratefuldean Post author

      If you didn’t include your tix and you don’t get a refund it’s nobody’s fault but your own… Those that followed the clearly stated procedure will definitely be receiving their refunds. I hope you get yours regardless… Update was posted on the gd50 site last week.

  24. Jeff

    We deserve better than this. I am really getting angry that we have been put in this limbo again. I submitted my mail order request and followed the rules. I went to the show and gave Peter the benefit of the doubt. I did not like the seats based on what I paid and had requested. I sent in my refund request and followed the rules. Where are my tickets and money??? There is no reason why it should take this long. My tickets better be in the same condition as when I sent them in. I have documented everything. Let’s hope this all resolves shortly.

    1. gratefuldean Post author

      It will all be resolved shortly. If I had the checkbook you’d have a check by now. It definitely has taken longer than expected but I’m certain everybody is getting what’s owed them.

  25. Jeff

    Ok. Checked the mail and guess what? No refund or tickets. The drop dead date for mailing was July 20. Monday September 28 will be 10 weeks!!!! The form said 3-4 weeks for processing and return of the funds and tickets. 6 weeks overdue is just not acceptable. 2 weeks I could have accepted without being too upset, but 6 weeks???? Shapiro needs to fess up to the issue and tell us what is really going on. A full explanation as to why it is taking so long should be provided. His statement that the processing is complete and the checks will be going out in the next few weeks smells like just another attempt to placate us. He is starting to feel like that “friend” who borrowed money and keeps making excuses as to why he can’t pay you today.

  27. Cori Taratoot

    Nothing in my mailbox. Can we contact someone at Shapiro’s organization to understand the status of our refund? This dude really needs to hire a competent COO and CFO, the amount of time they’ve held my money over these past months is financially irresponsible and likely illegal.

  28. Deb Miller

    Update last night on Dead 50 states all refunds to be mailed by Oct 2nd by USPS.. For what it’s worth.. Keeping my fingers crossed..

  29. Deb Miller

    On the Dead 50 website, it now has a statement – All refunds to be mailed by Oct 2 by USPS.. For what it’s worth..

    1. Jeff

      But the question that still needs to be answered is why did it take so long in the first place? And not to be the pessimist here, but the refunds will be mailed on Oct 2. What about out tickets that need to be returned? I would like to assume that they will be included with the refunds. That bit me in the ass last time when I assumed that my tickets would in the location I requested and when I sent my tickets back thinking in 3-4 weeks all would b made right. Seems like Shapiro was doing all the assuming and making an ASS out of U and ME.

  30. T Dub's Bud

    Shapiro is an outright criminal (can you say mail fraud?). He is the classic over promise and under deliver type of businessman. I have no idea how he has become so successful in the music industry. He continues to show that his customers do not mean a thing to him when it comes to our beloved Fare The Well event this summer. For someone that is supposedly a “head”, he obviously was brought into the scene by a different group than I was. So much for the love and respect of our fellow brothers and sisters. He is shady and focused on profit for his organization. Mr. Shapiro….screw you dude!

      1. telemon

        Well if anything did go out in mail on friday I’d think we would have been hearing from people who got their partial refunds and tickets.

  31. Jeff

    First class mail is 1-3 business days, so you are correct that someone should have received a refund by now, but it sure is not me. I don’t care who processed the refunds (Madison House or Shapiro). All I know is this really is bullshit. 11 weeks and counting.

  32. Jeff

    It’s just me again. Shapiro’s number one disgruntled fan. The trip to the mailbox proved just as disappointing as all the other trips. Per the USPS my mailbox should have contained my tickets, money, and an apology stating the there will no more douchebagery and shenanigans when selling tickets to any concert. I hope to see something in my mailbox tomorrow, or maybe my stuff was “lost in the mail”.

  34. Deb Miller

    Got my tickets back and the proper refunds today! I provided self address stamped priority mail envelope and received today.. Good luck to all..

    3. The Other Dean

      Was there any note about ‘sorry for the delay”? Hopefully mine will be waiting for me when I get home.

  36. Jeff

    I am no longer in the Shapiro induced Limbo. I received my tickets and refund today. The tickets were not in the same condition as when sent. Some corners had damage, but I am glad they are back.

  37. Deb Miller

    FYI, I tracked my priority mail package out of curiosity. Originated from the Las Vegas post office – USPS tracking shows it arriving at that facility on Oct 6th 12:46 am. Delivered to my door in MS on Oct 7. I hope everyone receives their package soon.

    1. Jeff

      Las Vegas??? We sent our requests to Chicago. Why would they bother to pick up mail in Chicago and then truck it to Vegas? I wonder what legal requirement they were trying to satisfy by having the requests mailed back to the city that hosted the shows.

  38. Jeff

    It still seems odd that they would have us send our stuff to Chicago and then incur the cost of shipping to Vegas. They could still have their corporate HQ in Vegas, but have performed the refund process in Chicago. The whole process is a loss on their balance sheet, which Is likely to be treated as a deductible expense. The award for inefficiency goes to Shapiro and Madison House!

  40. The Other Dean

    Got my refund today and my tickets back. Refund was $840 (12 tix refunded $50-80 each) split with my old chum means we each get 420 ;-]

    It was a miracle that my tickets arrived back in the perfect condition that they were sent. The envelope was not even sealed!! I knew I had to self address but was I ‘sposed to pre-lick the glue strip too?

    At any rate, thanks for your assistance Dean in getting Shapiro to at least update us on the progress of this painfully slow process. As someone who was also left in limbo since ordering these tickets way back in January, it is nice to have the whole ticket drama wrapped up. It sure has been a long hard ride (and DEFINITELY worth it!).

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