The Grateful Dead 60 Years in San Francisco

Hey now—Marla Davies here, welcoming you aboard The Grateful Dead 60 Years in San Francisco” Over six decade-by-decade episodes we’ll trace the whole cosmic arc—from the Warlocks’ 1965 Acid Tests and the Fillmore’s light-show communion, through the Wall-of-Sound ’70s, psychedelic stadium thunder in the ’80s, Jerry’s poignant farewell, the post-millennial Furthur jams, and right up to Dead & Company’s 2025 Golden Gate Park blow-out. Guiding us are the city’s finest eyewitnesses — Joel Selvin, Ben Fong-Torres, Dennis McNally, Susanna Milman, Charlie Miller, Rob Bleetstein, David Gans, Rosie McGee, Tim Lynch, Len Del'Amico, Andy Logan and many more...each dropping first-hand stories that stitch together 60 years of music, community, and long-strange magic . Episodes land every Thursday —and when you’re ready to limber up, catch the Hit Replay podcast-puzzle each week for riffs, clues, history and fun before the next show rolls around. Play Now here: http://www.podcastpuzzle.com Keep on Truckin' This podcast is in partnership with San Francisco Travel https://www.sftravel.com

Last refreshed: January 26th, 2026 at 11:10 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

Grateful Dead's 60th: The San Francisco Homecoming & The Dawn of a New Era

We returned to where it all began, under the San Francisco sky in Golden Gate Park, for what we believed was a homecoming—a celebration of 60 years of Grateful Dead music. But as Dead & Company lit up the stage, something more than nostalgia was in the air. Was this just a concert, or a carefully orchestrated glimpse into the future? We’ll take you inside those three magical nights, sharing exclusive insights from Oteil Burbridge and San Francisco’s Mayor Daniel Lurie, and piecing together t...

Aug 29, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Dead & Company: 2015-2025

Hop on the bus with host Marla Davies for The Grateful Dead: 60 Years in San Francisco as we unpack Dead & Company’s roller-coaster decade—starting with the post-“Fare Thee Well” leap that thrust bassist Oteil Burbridge into the lineup and tracking John Mayer’s studio-burning metamorphosis that won over wary Deadheads. Joined by Grahame Lesh, Ben Fong-Torres, Joel Selvin and more, we explore how the band’s neon-drenched Las Vegas Sphere residencies push psychedelic spectacle into tomorrow wh...

Jul 31, 2025•52 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Twenty Years After Jerry: 1995-2015

What happens when the soul of a band departs—but the music keeps playing? In this poignant episode of The Grateful Dead: 60 Years in San Francisco , host Marla Davies guides us through the emotional and experimental decades that followed Jerry Garcia’s passing. With stories from Ben Fong-Torres, Joel Selvin, David Gans, Sunshine Becker, Charlie Miller, and more, we trace the evolution of a band that refused to fade, and a community that willed itself into being. From the raw grief of 1995 to the...

Jul 25, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 4

The Third Decade: 1985-1995

Strap in and roll the reel, Deadheads—this week’s episode of Grateful Dead: 60 Years in San Francisco throws us straight into the stormy brilliance of 1985–1995. I’m Marla Davies, your guide through a decade that was equal parts heartbreak and high notes. From the Warfield’s intimate warmth to Jerry's triumphant returns and the bittersweet weight of Fare Thee Well moments to come, this era was the eye of the hurricane—steady, swirling, unforgettable. With stories from Len Dell’Amico, Hollie Rose...

Jul 17, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 3

The Second Decade: 1975-1985

Welcome back to the ride, friends! What happens when a band at the peak of its powers just… stops? We left the Grateful Dead on a cliffhanger in 1975—broke, burned out, and sick of each other. But as we all know, the music never truly stops. This episode, we’re hopping back on the bus to explore one of the most transformative decades in the Dead’s history: the rebirth. This is the story of how the band faced its own ego and came to a powerful revelation: the Grateful Dead is bigger than all of u...

Jul 10, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 2

The First Decade: 1965-1975

Welcome on the bus, as we journey back to the very beginning of the Grateful Dead's long, strange trip in 1960s San Francisco. With incredible stories from band historian Dennis McNally and friends like Rosie McGee, we'll uncover how the legendary Acid Tests and the intimate stages of the Fillmore forged an unbreakable bond between the band and their audience. This isn't just a story about music; it's the inside scoop on how a cultural revolution, a city, and a sound came together to change the ...

Jul 04, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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