Tie-dye patterns are spreading across San Francisco, and Golden Gate Park is preparing for a psychedelic celebration as the Grateful Dead return to commemorate 60 years of music and cultural influence. Among those who understand this unique world better than most is photographer Jay Blakesberg, who has dedicated nearly five decades to documenting the legendary band, their devoted fans, and the counterculture movement they helped inspire. Staying true to his lifelong commitment, Blakesberg will be present this weekend with his camera ready, adding fresh images to his extensive collection of Dead & Company concert photography.
Blakesberg's journey began in 1978 when he was just 17 years old and sold his first photographs to a small weekly publication in New Jersey. The Aquarian Weekly purchased his Grateful Dead concert images for $7.50 per photograph, marking the beginning of what would become a defining career in music photography. At the time, the teenage photographer had no way of knowing that these initial images would be the first of thousands that would establish his reputation in the industry.
Over the following four decades, Blakesberg became a chronicler of San Francisco's most significant rock and roll moments. His camera captured iconic scenes including Bono spray-painting the Vaillancourt Fountain and John Fogerty's courthouse appearance during his legal battle with Fantasy Records. Throughout his career, he has created legendary portraits of major artists including Beck, Joni Mitchell, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. However, his lens consistently returned to the Grateful Dead, ultimately establishing him as the band's most comprehensive visual historian.
Blakesberg's first Grateful Dead concert experience occurred in 1977 when he was 15 years old. Sitting in the front row, he shared a camera with the person who brought him to the show, passing it back and forth throughout the performance. From that concert, only one small print survives, and while neither photographer can definitively claim credit for the image, Blakesberg humorously asserts ownership based on its proper composition. The photograph features Jerry Garcia, and Blakesberg recalls the transformative moment of seeing that first image emerge in the darkroom under red lights, describing it as a truly life-changing experience that many photographers can relate to.
Reflecting on the Grateful Dead fan community, Blakesberg characterizes them as "a music-loving circus of freaks and misfits." He explains that during the 1970s, when he was in high school, young people lacked internet access for information and instead relied on FM radio, album liner notes, and influential books like "On the Road" and "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test." This generation rejected conventional aspirations of suburban life with three children and a two-car garage, instead searching for their unique place in what Blakesberg describes as the typical life script of "birth, school, work, death." These questioning attitudes and unconventional desires naturally categorized them as misfits in mainstream society.
Blakesberg's photography career gained momentum when his father purchased a camera for his 17th birthday. He photographed the Grateful Dead again in Rochester, New York, in 1978, which became his first paid publication opportunity. The Aquarian Weekly paid him $7.50 for each photograph, totaling $15 for two images. Despite being only 17 years old, this achievement made him a paid, published photographer, creating what he describes as "one of those sparks early in your life that turns into an inferno."
The Grateful Dead song "Eyes of the World" holds particular significance for Blakesberg from his teenage years. Featured on the 1973 album "Wake of the Flood," the song made a profound impact during a snow day in late 1977 or early 1978 when he experienced LSD for the first time. The lyric "Sometimes we live no particular way but our own" resonated deeply with him, representing something metaphysical, religious, colorful, and transformative. This generation embraced the philosophy to "tune in, turn on, and drop out," and while Blakesberg acknowledges that psychedelics aren't suitable for everyone, he explains that for those who connected with the experience, it opened up an entirely new world of possibilities. This revelation convinced him that his future lay beyond suburban New Jersey and that he needed to make his way to San Francisco.
Blakesberg's relationship with Jerry Garcia developed over many years of photographing the band. He describes Garcia as an exceptionally sharp, clever, self-deprecating, and funny individual with remarkable intelligence. However, Garcia famously disliked being photographed, particularly during extended photo sessions. In 1993, when Blakesberg was commissioned to photograph Garcia for the cover of Acoustic Guitar magazine, he adapted his approach to accommodate the musician's preferences. Understanding Garcia's discomfort with lengthy photo shoots, Blakesberg simply provided him with a guitar and allowed him to play naturally. This strategy proved successful, as Garcia remained comfortable and cooperative for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, resulting in exceptional portrait photography.
Another Grateful Dead song that holds deep meaning for Blakesberg is "Attics of My Life," which he interprets as a reflection on mortality and life's fulfillment. The song explores the desire to look back at the end of one's life and feel satisfied with both personal experiences and contributions to others' well-being. He finds particular beauty in the lyric "full of tastes no tongue can know," interpreting it as encompassing not just physical sensations of food and drink, but the full spectrum of life experiences. The song examines the surface of an entire lifetime and all possible experiences one might encounter.
At 62 years old, Blakesberg acknowledges being on the other side of life where time seems to accelerate, yet he remains optimistic about future experiences. Despite the song's focus on mortality, he expresses hope for many more years of adventures, emphasizing that he continues to find great enjoyment in life and isn't prepared to slow down. His perspective on "Attics of My Life" reflects both an acceptance of life's finite nature and a determination to maximize the remaining time with meaningful experiences and continued creative work.
Blakesberg's nearly five-decade documentation of the Grateful Dead represents more than just concert photography; it serves as a visual chronicle of American counterculture and the enduring impact of a band that transcended music to become a cultural phenomenon. His work captures not only the performers on stage but also the community that formed around their music, preserving the essence of a movement that continues to influence new generations of fans and artists. As the Grateful Dead celebrate their 60th anniversary, Blakesberg's photographic archive stands as an invaluable historical record of one of America's most significant cultural movements.
