Grateful Dead 1989 Summer Tour

This is a very cool bit of fan art, produced by Sandra Libby and no doubt sold on tour in the parking lot. This type of piece was rarely kept for too long and it’s likely that only a handful exist in decent condition.

In 1989, the Grateful Dead played to one and a half million seats, with an average venue capacity of over 21 thousand. There had been a huge jump in sales and revenue since the release of In The Dark that would continue for the rest of their career.

The end of the 1980s also saw a spike in new music. The band had written very little original material since 1979: in the next 8 years, they averaged a paltry two songs a year, including Lesh/Petersen’s one-off Revolutionary Hamstrung Blues. In 1988, they suddenly brought out seven new songs, including Victim, Foolish Heart, and four Brent originals.

The period spanning 1989 and 1990 represent to some observers a peak in the consistency and professionalism of the band. They had developed a particular way of structuring a set and of performing songs with complicated arrangements, and here was a time when could be relied on to do it well. Most importantly, they could do so with their largest repertoire to date so that you can listen to a half-dozen shows without losing interest.