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, and Bob Bralove, we trace the arc of a band grappling with its own myth while still managing to light the sky on fire. Want to know how the Dead kept the flame burning in their final San Francisco chapter?

Hit play and step into the echo.

The music never stopped—and neither should you.

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