Scene celebrates art, culture of the Dead
10:35 PM 8/03/02
Natasha Kassulke Wisconsin State Journal

indentEAST TROY - Someday they could make a movie out of this.
indentThe Grateful Dead reunion, which began on Saturday and continues today at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre had all the ingredients for a drama - mystery, intrigue, controversy, and a memorable soundtrack.
indentIn fact, about 70,000 people were expected to see the sold-out shows, billed as the "Terrapin Station: A Grateful Dead Family Reunion." The festival takes its name from a 1977 Grateful Dead album.
indentThis weekend comes seven years to the day after the Grateful Dead's last show. All surviving members of the original band - drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, bassist Phil Lesh, and guitarist Bob Weir - have reunited as The Other Ones for "Terrapin." The Other Ones are headlining the gathering and performing two sets each night. They are joined by keyboardists Jeff Chementi and Rob Barraco and guitarist Jimmy Herring. Acts include the band members' separate projects, as well as Dead-inspired jambands.
indentSaturday's scene celebrated the music, art and culture of the Grateful Dead. For many, it also was a chance to remember Jerry Garcia, who died of a heart attack in 1995. The last time the Grateful Dead staged a concert at Alpine Valley was in 1989. From August 1980 to July 1989 the Dead performed 20 times at Alpine.
indentThis time, security was tight. But few complained or had trouble getting into the grounds.
indentCheckpoints for tickets were set up as people entered Alpine Valley on the county roads. Gates opened at 8 a.m. with the show starting at 1 p.m. Rest areas in the vicinity were closed and used for event management for staging. No camping was allowed at Alpine Valley. Hotels were booked up as far as one hour away.
indentGaining media access was more mysterious than finding a rave dance. After making an official media request, reporters were contacted by Dennis McNally, longtime Grateful Dead spokesman, about the process for getting access to the grounds.
indentApproved media people were told to go to the Interlaken Resort in Lake Geneva, pick up the house phone in the lobby, ask for the VIP ticket room number, and be prepared to show identification and media credentials. Only then would they be allowed to continue on to Alpine. At the resort on Saturday media people actually found signs instead of a phone directing them to "Keep on Truckin' " to room 356.
indentMedia people included those from the Chicago Tribune, RollingStone.com, area TV and print and online publications.
indentIn a press conference on Saturday evening, Walworth County Sheriff's Department officials said they were pleased and the event was nothing out of the ordinary for a sold-out Alpine show. Incident commander Lt. Scott McClory said that about 100 cars with occupants who didn't have tickets were turned away by 3:15 p.m. About 60 citations were issued and 11 arrests were made, mostly for drug possession. McNally credited the Deadheads for the success. "I wanted to thank all of the Deadheads who listened to us and didn't come."
indentSheriff David Graves said it was too early to give security cost estimates.
indentLast month, the Walworth County Board allowed the concerts to go on after the County Highway Committee, which oversees the operating license at Alpine Valley, had rejected the concert permit due to concerns that traffic for the event would overwhelm the sheriff's department and emergency response teams. Authorities had feared that more than 200,000 people would show up.
indentThe committee met for testimony on June 27 and 28. Clear Channel Co., which promoted the event, agreed to a new concert plan with tighter security and emergency procedures.
indentTickets for "Terrapin" were selling for more than $1,000 on some World Wide Web sites after news spread that the festival was back on. On Saturday, though, tickets were selling for face value before security check points and some were selling tickets for today's show.
indentThe band warned fans through print and radio ads and fliers that they should not come to the grounds without a ticket. They were told that if even one person in the car did not have a ticket, the entire carload would be turned away. License plates ranged from California to Florida to Massachusetts and Canada.
indentThe show was Webcast on Saturday and will be broadcast again tonight for those who had to stay at home (visit the Web at www.dead.net for information).
indentBesides music on two stages, there was a spoken word/interview stage, Grateful Dead memorabilia collection, and a 30-booth vending village. Unauthorized vendors were subject to a $1,000 fine, but it didn't stop people from selling water, beer, shots of whiskey, cookies, glass pipes, jewelry and more.
indentThe band also announced that if all went well at Alpine Valley that it planned to tour this fall. Details on the shows are posted online.
indentBilly Wilton, 41, of Ontario, Canada, said Saturday was his 35th Dead show. He drove to the show with his son Chris Wilton, 8.
indent"The Grateful Dead shows have always been about running into people, it's a reunion," Billy Wilton said.
indent"And the Dead plays the soundtrack for the experience."
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