Jerry Garcia Gets a Digital Makeover
Grateful Dead fans now have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the rich career of founding member Jerry Garcia. Last night, JerryGarcia.com relaunched with a massive set of archival material for fans to explore, including 15,000 hours of recorded music and 3,450 shows, as well as timelines and information about 26 of Jerry’s bands and 77 of his musical collaborators. Fans will also be able to “follow” 10 different tours undertaken by Garcia’s bands. Featured are Spring 1970 (Grateful Dead), Europe 1972 (Grateful Dead), Summer 1974 (Grateful Dead), Summer 1976 (Grateful Dead), Spring 1977 (Grateful Dead), Summer 1988 (Grateful Dead), Fall 1989 (Jerry Garcia Band), Spring 1990 (Grateful Dead), Fall 1993 (Grateful Dead) and Fall 1993 (Jerry Garcia Band).
Check Out Rare Photos of the Grateful Dead’s First 10 Years
The website, designed by digital agency Critical Mass, will be rolled out in two phases: the first will bring with it the new content and interactive features and the second will debut a virtual “Parking Lot” that allow fans to connect with each other and to track their own Garcia show histories.
Garcia’s family provided the site with a wealth of unseen photos, concert material, ticket stubs and even Garcia’s own artwork to augment the experience. Currently, there are no plans to charge fans for access to the site’s material and the experience has been optimized for mobile devices as well.
In related Garcia news, the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebrations will team with Warren Haynes and the Boston Pops on May 13th and 14th at Boston’s Symphony Hall, where they’ll recreate classic Garcia tunes.