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Posted on 06/12/2002 7:37:42 PM PDT by brityank
Panel Denies License for Dead Reunion
By CARRIE ANTLFINGER Associated Press WriterMILWAUKEE (AP) - The promoters of a concert meant to bring the surviving members of the Grateful Dead together on stage have been denied a permit by a county highway committee.
The event, planned for Aug. 3-4 in East Troy, is expected to draw 200,000 fans, Walworth County Highway Committee Chairman Odell R. Gigante said. He said only 35,000 people are allowed in the Alpine Valley Music Theatre, about 30 miles southwest of Milwaukee.
"You can imagine the amount of humanity that's going to converge on little old East Troy in Walworth County," Gigante said of Tuesday's decision to turn down Clear Channel Entertainment's permit request. "We only have 80 some sheriff deputies. Short of bringing in the National Guard we just couldn't handle it."
The two-day concert, dubbed "Terrapin Station - A Grateful Dead Family Reunion," would have been the first time Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir staged a concert together since the death of Jerry Garcia, the Dead's leader and founder. Garcia died in 1995 of a heart attack.
Michael Cotter, an attorney for Walworth County, said Clear Channel can appeal the decision. The county would set up another hearing, and Clear Channel could present more evidence on why it deserves the permit. The company also can sue the county for the permission.
A representative who answered the phone Tuesday at Clear Channel in Milwaukee said the company had no comment.
"The ball is sort of in their court for what route they choose to take," Cotter said. "I'm sure they are not going to go away quietly."
Dennis McNally, a publicist for Grateful Dead Productions, and Big Hassle Media, the festival's publicist, had no immediate comment.
The festival took its name from a 1977 Grateful Dead album. The concerts were to feature performances by the four surviving members as a band and also with their separate projects.
During their 30-year history, the Grateful Dead attained a fan base so devoted it reached cultlike status. Some die-hard fans, nicknamed Deadheads, followed the band around the globe for the jam concerts that became the Dead's trademark.
On the Net:
The Other Ones Web site: http://www.dead.net
2002-06-12 10:20:07 GMT
Copyright 2002
The Associated Press All Rights Reserved
Would you believe that some people still have Dead logos on their cars, and some even have Garcia screensavers. The cult will probably outlive the fall of civilization.
Not true.
I saw them the fall before last in Greensboro. And I have seen them several times since Jerry died.
This format sounds just like all of the shows of the Furthur Fest, which wasn't even mentioned in this article...
I saw them in Greensboro as I mentioned above, playing as 'The Other Ones.'
Was Bill not there then?? Never mind... I'll look it up, as I also need a few hundred more Megabytes of MP3s.
BTW, I don't know if Constanten is still alive. Haven't heard that name in awhile....
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