Gospel: The Psychedelic Church

Phil Lesh famously said, “I used to say—not facetiously—that every place we play is church.”

There was always something church-like about a Grateful Dead show: the gathering, the singing, the communion, the surrender. Gospel gave the Dead a language for that transcendence—voices rising together, sorrow turning toward joy, and music becoming testimony.

The Dead built their own psychedelic church, and behind them, strong women were there building it too. They recorded the shows, ran the lights, managed the offices, handled ticket requests, sang the songs, and helped hold the entire world around the music together.

The women built the church and tonight, they’re taking the pulpit! Bringing grit, soul, fire, and freedom to the music of the Dead, these women honor the gospel roots woven through its history—and claim their place at the center of the story.

Please join us for the next part of a special concert series celebrating the the Grateful Dead as a Living Ecosystem, throughout the run of the Forever Grateful, Golden Gate Park exhibit.