Category Archives: Grateful Dead, Fare Thee Well

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I’d like to take a moment to thank the most loving bunch of fans out there for all the nasty comments. Unfortunately for you, you were outnumbered by supporters 1000 to 1. This week saw record numbers for my blog as The Shapiro Strategy got over 20,000 views and my last article will have over 40,000 views in 3 days by the time I post this. Not bad for a regular fan, just like you, with a keyboard. I never claimed to be a professional writer or journalist, just a regular Head no different than anyone. Thanks for all the support!

Let’s review a few things. As far as complainers go, I haven’t been one of them. I’ve supported just about every decision that’s been made up to this point.
1. I Love Chicago! I think it was a perfect choice for the event.
2. I Love Trey! I thought he was a perfect choice for the event.
3. I had absolutely NO problems with the cost of tickets or accommodations for the event. It’s 2015, not 1985.
4. I’ve supported everything surrounding the decisions that were made and commended as well as defended the organization for dealing with the unexpected and overwhelming demand until this past week.

I am definitely NOT a complainer. I definitely do have a problem however when the band’s most loyal fans, that have been mail ordering for decades, send their hard earned money to our favorite band for what is advertised at a price point that supposedly represented the best seats in the house and receive something much different. There is no excuse for offering $80 & $120 seats and then sending them back to fans at a cost of $200. THAT is my ONLY complaint. “Just be grateful you got tickets” is not a valid comment. “They’re Club Seats” is not a valid comment. They were offered at $80 & $120 and sent back to fans with a price tag of $200. The Club Seats in the 300 Level are on Garcia’s side and that’s the reason they were the more expensive option in the 300 Level. Imagine going into a restaurant and ordering your meal. When you get the check, the prices you saw on the menu became twice as much on your bill. Should you just be grateful you got to eat with so many hungry people in the world? If you can’t see that’s wrong, we’ll never agree on anything…

The decision to give GDTSTOO the poorest seats in the house was not a mistake. It was done intentionally. It was definitely not their choice. Here’s an email that was sent from GDTSTOO regarding ticket allotments.
2015-06-07 17.11.26
Whoever “The Powers that be” are made a deliberate decision to give GDTSTOO the seats they did. For those that don’t have tickets yet, you might be the most fortunate ones. There’s not many 100 Level Seats in anyone’s possession and according to the Shapiro Strategy, they’ll probably be released in the weeks to come. Those that get their seats last will probably end up with the best seats in the house.

I’d like to clear up another thing. I don’t want to see anyone get sued and I hope that doesn’t happen. The article went viral in the Dead Community and apparently got some circulation outside of it as well. I was contacted by 4 Major News Publications to be interviewed for pieces they wanted to write on the issue. I typically write for us, The Grateful Dead Community. I think this is a family matter and think it should be addressed within our community, not outside of it. I told all parties that I wasn’t interested in contributing to a piece like that and declined all questions and interviews.

This problem didn’t affect me at all but it affected many of you. I used my platform so your voices would be heard. I didn’t bring light to this to begin a whirlwind of complaining and hate in our community. I did it to expose something that was clearly wrong. If this was about parking, hotels or $20 mistakes, I would not have addressed it at all. I’ve said what I have to say and I’m done with it for now.

I can’t wait to get to Chicago and I think this is undoubtedly going to be the best weekend many of us have had in a long time. I’ve never thought this was a “Cash Grab” or thought it was going to be a “Shit show”. I expect it to be an incredible weekend filled with rekindling old connections as well as creating new ones. If you get all of us off of the internet and into a city, all this shit moves aside as the Love and Magic that has always followed us around the country overpowers anything and everything that’s preceded the event. THAT is the spirit that has always lived within the Grateful Dead Community and THAT is exactly what I expect upon arriving in Chicago.

I spent some time this morning doing an Adventure Rope Course in the mountains. I was walking across tight ropes and wobbly boards high above the ground. I watched as some folks were crippled by fear and couldn’t move. Some had to be rescued and returned to the ground. I made it through the course like a squirrel because I totally trusted the harness and tether that I was attached to. Over the past 30 something years of my life, The things I gathered from my years with the Dead and the music, that we’re all going to California and Chicago to celebrate, have been my tether throughout life. I’m not afraid of heights because that life taught me how to be extremely high without fear. I’ve had some terrible and scary moments in life but I’ve always found what I needed to “try just a little bit harder, just a little bit more”, in the process through the music. In every event both good and bad I’ve either celebrated or been comforted by the music of The Grateful Dead. I absolutely expect nothing different this time around…

Dead To The Core,

Dean Sottile (pronounced So Tilly)

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In a questionable move fueled by something other than good will, those who received their tickets by mail this week were met with surprise and suspicion when the pricing levels and seating charts mysteriously changed AFTER all their money orders were cashed. People that have called me an apologist for the band and/or the promoter will love this article. I just write about things as honestly as I see them and whoever made this decision needs to be reacquainted with the Great Equalizer. I’m a Dead Head first and foremost and try to be a voice for us, not anyone else. The Dead and its affiliates have NEVER given me anything for nothing, I’ve ALWAYS paid my own way.

Prior to being aware of the demand for the Chicago Fare Thee Well Shows, widely published seating charts on The Dead’s site looked like this.

seating-chart

THIS was the chart that all of the people who sent in for Mail Order were sending their money for. THIS is what the deal was when people sent money orders to GDTSTOO.

After the unexpected deluge of requests came in from the mail order, it was announced that the floor was being opened up to all GA as opposed to reserve seating to accommodate more people which seemed like a kind and generous thing to do. The seating charts were then changed to something like this.

Seating#2

Take note, 300 Level seats are still $79.50 or $119.50. The ONLY tickets at the $199.50 price point were the best seats to either side of the stage.

Following some consideration by the organizing parties, and prior to the internet on sale, it was decided that there would be seating behind the stage to accommodate as many people as possible. That seemed like a generous and thoughtful idea as well. At that point the seating chart changed to reflect seating behind the stage.

There’s a few things to take note of as we look at these charts. The 300 level seats, were all priced at either $79.50 or $119.50.

Here’s where the Switcheroo takes place! People receiving Mail Order tickets this week received 300 level tickets that were priced at $199.50. See evidence here:

300levelticket

Not only that, 300 Level seats that were released on TicketMaster this morning were all priced at $199.50. That my friends is a real unethical, unkind, unrighteous maneuver. Whether it’s illegal, I’m not certain as I haven’t read through anything that may state that prices are subject to change without notice. What I do know, is it’s a move that stinks of greed and completely goes against everything that the band and its organization has provided throughout the years. It’s a move that Bill Graham NEVER would have made. This event misses him almost as much as it misses Garcia. Was there not enough money coming in already? This is where Shapiro goes from Genius to Jackass overnight. Is there anyone other than him that could be responsible??? I don’t think so… Loose with the truth, Peter it’s your fire… Baby I hope you don’t get burned…

We’re not a bunch of dumb, stoned kids anymore… It was completely, totally and unequivocally the WRONG thing to do. Given the situation, would fans decline their tickets or ask for a refund if they were told about pricing changes? Probably not if we’re being honest… Was this a poor decision by the leadership? It absolutely was. I don’t think the guys that make the music have anything to do with decisions like this so I absolutely don’t hold them accountable but someone should be held accountable. I probably won’t make any new friends with this post, but it’s the truth…

Dead To The Core,
Dean Sottile (pronounced So Tilly)