It was my 14th show.
Musically it was the best (which was good because it was also the most expensive). But a Dead show is more than a concert. It’s a small group of lessons in business, life and happiness.
Here’s my take:
1. Find Your Faithful
There are a bazillion great musicians out there. Most of them you’ve never heard of and many more you never will. Reason? No faithful. The Dead’s music is great, but that’s not why you go to a show. You go to a show to be one of the faithful (or to just watch them). Over time it’s the faithful will help your business pay the bills and spread to word like no other customers can or will. Find your faithful. They will help make your strange trip longer.
2. Create an Oasis
Now more than ever the world really is insane. Consider the risks: you’re just walking down the road and poof – there’s that ISIS guy taking you out. And now we have those Pokémon Go people to contend with – no GPS and less common sense.
A Dead show will carry you away from a world full of hassle, politics and suicidal vigilantes. It brings out your inner tie die, your happy stoner bud, and your eternal camper. This is your better you (even though you would never admit it to your boss or your kids). And a Dead show is where you can be with your people.
3. Young Blood
If you work on your business instead of in your business you know that the occasional infusion of young blood is vital for the health and even the survival of the organization. Mick Jagger has a simple rule: no new band members older than him.
Dead & Company (as they’re now called thanks to the damn lawyers) showcases new front man John Mayer on lead guitar. I knew he was a good looking. I knew he was classically trained. I knew he was a 14 year old heart throb. I didn’t know he could whale on his guitar like the second coming. Dudes aren’t my thing, but after that performance I would date that dude. He rocks.
Here’s the point: if you’re building something to last, a part of your master plan should be to bring in the young blood.
4. Captivity = Profit
Imagine for a moment: you’re in the middle of a sagebrush desert with 20,000 of your new best friends and there is no 7-11 for at least 100 miles. Now let me offer you a most brilliant business idea: retail.
$17 for a beer that usually costs $3 and $35 for a t-shirt that costs $4 to make – it’s a capitalist’s version of reds, vitamin C and cocaine. And when you can get them lined up all the way across and three deep with cash in hand, you truly have a truly winning formula. Or a bunch of stoned people who should have given their wallet to the designated driver before going past the food and schwag concessions.
5. The Share
If you live a cool life you’ll always have something to share. Sharing is a deep part of the Dead culture. Food, dope, each other, it really doesn’t matter at a show. And show or not, sharing really the point of this whole thing. Sometimes you share with your family, sometimes with your sig other, or sometimes with thousands of your pals and clients on a Sunday morning.
Good luck and keep on truckin’.
Joe Still
2016.07.31
Cite
“The Grateful Dead are our religion.”
– Ken Kesey