Grateful Dead, Soldier Field and Chicago Fire Could the Grateful Dead help the Fire in obtaining weekend dates in 2004-2006? Stranger things have happened. Consider these facts: l. Evidently the Bears have a clause that allows them to veto anyone else using Soldier Field within 5 days of a Bears game. From August to the end of the season, there could be conflicts. 2. I can't be sure if the Bears will be as horrible as Mayor Reinsdorf, who punitively applied the excusivity clause at U.S. Cellular One Park, or whatever they call that monstrosity this week. Reinsdorf let the Rolling Stones play there but would not let the Fire or the Bears play there. 3. Field condition would be the primary reason for the Bears to veto a Fire game. 4. Soldier Field sold out 13 times for a rock concert. All 9 Dead shows sold out. Deadheads made a mess of the field, so the Dead kicked in their own $300,000 to put in new turf after their last 2 visits to Soldier Field. New turf, put in around late July, could allow the Fire and the Bears to play at Soldier Field in the same weekend. There are, of course, problems. The Dead came out of a 7 year hiatus and obtained a permit to play concerts in Grant Park last summer. The City reneged on this commitment and canceled the permit, forcing them to go to Alpine Valley. If the Dead have become persona non grata all of this is moot. But if they tour in 2004-2006 (likely) they may well pay for a new turf that would allow both teams to play.
I hate to burst your bubble but the Grateful Dead are no longer. There are a few touring versions without Garcia, but they don't have the same following and would most likely not want to pay $300,000 to have a concert in Chicago.
After Jerry died the boys decided not to tour under the name Grateful Dead. Individuals toured as Rat Dog, Phil and Friends and so on. Last summer Billy, Bobby, Mickey and Phil decided to tour as the The Other Ones. They recently announced they will tour as The Dead this summer. Alpine Valley sold 70,000 tickets in the presale. I imagine the Dead would have no trouble selling out Soldier Field for the 10th and 11th time. The Dead are very generous. After Jerry's last concert they left their equipment set up so Pearl Jam could use it for their concerts.
While I would welcome The Dead to NSF, I don't think we would see the benefits from your theory. I'm no grounds crew expert (neither is the park district ) but I am pretty sure that a newer field would be in worse shape after a game because the root system would not be as developed. My understanding is that the best conditioned field come August would be one that has been in place for some time, and that has little use over the summer months. One Fire game every two weeks isn't bad. I certainly don't think the Bears would be more lenient with their veto power because of new turf.
I can't imagine The Dead without Garcia selling out Soldier Field for two nights. I would be shocked.
Dead fans are notoriously loyal, and have continued to be so, even after Garcia's passing. After he died I slowly stoped listening to them as much, but a chance to see the other members is one that most Dead-Heads would jump at. Two nights of consecutive sellouts might not happen, but two nights of 50,000+ attendence is very possible. (I would like to add that I never was a "Dead-Head," but had several friends who epitomized the steotypical image of the moniker, and I know that they would probably go to at least one of the concerts.)
I'm not saying their fans aren't loyal, I know that, but to some extent Grateful Dead = Garcia. Weir's Ratdog could only fill bars.
Alpine Valley sold out. Soldier Field would too. Even if I am wrong, the Dead might, for a third time, pay for what the the Chicago Park District should pay for which is a new turf so other rock bands, teams and unrelated events may have a crack at Soldier Field. Mayor Reinsdorf, far wealthier than the Dead, won't pay for anything. Not even his own stadium.
Of course, if he were to say that today, the concert promoters could be fined $200,000 and thrown in jail, after legislation that was passed last week. Maybe someone in the crowd would actually have to be caught with drugs, but I'm not even sure that's necessary. Later, COZ
Okay, I'm trying to see if that claim I just made can be substantiated. I heard it on WBBM the other night, but can't find anything more concrete. Later, COZ
Maybe we can combine the two in a Dead/Fire doubleheader. We'll just put the spinners at the back of Section 8 I think it's safe to say that we sould also have one of the more bizarre tailgates that day as well.
Someone tampered with the title of the thread.... My point is, if the Bears are going to behave like Mayor Reinsdorf, none of this will matter. Concern about the condition of the field could be used as a pretext to keep the field for themselves. But if they care about the community that paid for this, and would only exercise the 5 day veto to avoid bad field conditions, then the Dead could come to the rescue. Brand new turf could be put in around mid July. The Bears and the Fire could play the same weekend like they used to.
Two pages and no comment from Cougar Jim, aka "Grateful Boy"?!?!?!?! The Apocolypse must be upon us! Doubleheader? Am I the only one who caught this? Okay, I will go on record as saying that I'm down with this!
Cougar Jim has been very busy these last few days. God knows I wouldn't normally expect to see discussion on the Fire boards about the Dead. But since you ask... While we might see the Dead at NSF next year, I don't think that will make a difference in the Fire getting weekend dates. I think the only way the Bears would change their thinking on that subject would be if NSF had turf installed. And after the Fire players' complaints the last two years about the turf at Cardinal Stadium, I would expect that to happen just before President Bush and Saddam make kissy-kissy. Having said that, I very much enjoyed reading this thread. Spinners behind Section 8, LOL!!!
Well, FWIW, I know for a fact the Dead have already inquired about dates at SF in late September/October. No idea if they'll be booked or not. I don;t see how this might impact the Fire at all.
If the Bears want to exercise their 5 day exclusivity window to exclude the Fire without any justification, the Dead will have no impact on the Fire. But if the Bears only exercise the veto for a valid concern, such as field condition, there could well be a benefit for the Fire. The Bears played on a brand new field in 93 and 94 because the Dead put up the money to resod the field after the dancing deadheads had added to the damage caused by other events. The Park District objected to the damage done in 92 and the Dead said they would pay for a new field. End of story. Lots of events could occur at Soldier Field: The Bears, the Fire, the Mexican National Team, the Ecuadorian National Team, the Dead, other rock groups, other national teams, many other events known and unknown. At some point the field will be in bad shape. The Bears won't pay for anything. The Park District has been reluctant to make additional expenditures. Perhaps the Dead will help out, like they did in 93 and 94. Somebody has to pay for it.