Some of the greatest moments in history pass by without the participants recognizing the importance of the moment. This is true in politics as it is in art and music. In the strange case of the Grateful Dead, the fans that swelled and stayed with them throughout their touring history seemed to recognize that they were participating in something important and life-changing. It’s possible that it was their very participation that made it historical, bringing up questions about the perceiver affecting the perceived on a large scale, and these kinds of questions have entertained deadheads into the wee hours of the morning while on the road following the band.

They attracted followers wherever they went, lured by the music, the enormous charisma of the band members, and also the scene the followers brought with them. It happened in every city, but the phenomenon had a particular weight on the coasts. New York was not their home, but it was one of their centers of gravity, and New York Deads have a particular charm that doesn’t exist anywhere else. Old fans as well as young people wondering what it was all about will get a chance to revisit the days of the dead this May at the New York Historical Society .

This is as good of an excuse as any to book time in a hotel in the city , and enjoy the rest of the urban atmosphere. It will be particularly interesting, though, to hear what the active fans have to say about the exhibit. The Grateful Dead: Now Playing brings together a ton of material from the UC Santa Cruz archive, and will be one of the biggest events of the band’s career. Large marionettes will be on display, recalling some of the visual splendor of the concerts (because, let’s be honest, they didn’t move around a whole lot and we had to look at something). There will also be plenty of ephemera and memorabilia, recalling the days of sunshine daydreams and the Doodah Man.

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