Missing Years In Our Grateful Dead Retrospective: 1960s

As noted in our post announcing our July theme, we have concerts this month from every year in Grateful Dead history except the following 7:

• 1965, 1967 & 1968: no July soundboards available 
• 1975 & 1977: the band did not play in July those 2 years 
• 1991 & 1993: the band did not play in July in those 2 years

Since we want to make our Grateful Dead retrospective as complete as possible, we’ll bring you key moments in each of those 7 years in a series of 3 posts - one dedicated to the 3 missing years from the 1960s, one dedicated to the 2 missing years in the 1970s and one dedicated to the 2 missing years from the 1990s. So, with the post we cover the 1960s. Stop back on July 11 for the 1970s and then on July 24 for the 1990s.

1965 in Grateful Dead History

• Phil Lesh joins the band, finalizing the lineup that will become the Grateful Dead later that year
• In December, the band changes its name from The Warlocks to The Grateful Dead, and the long strange trip begins
• On December 4, the band plays their first show as the Grateful Dead, serving as the house band for Ken Kesey’s acid test in San Jose. 
• On December 10, The Dead play their first gig at the Fillmore under their new name. The show is produced by Bill Graham. 
• No full live shows from 1965 have been officially released. 

1967 in Grateful Dead History

• On January 14, The Dead and The Airplane headline “The Human Be-In”, an outdoor concert that brings national attention the counter culture scene in San Francisco. 
• The Dead release their self-titled debut album on March 17. 
• On June 1, the band plays in Tompkins Square Park in New York City, their first east coast show. 
• The Dead play the Monterrey Pop Festival on June 18, and the Summer Of Love begins!
• Mickey Hart joins the band on drums and percussion on September 29, making the Dead one of the rare bands with 2 drummers.
• At some point in 1967, Dan Healy becomes the sound man for the band. 
• On December 26, the Dead play their first show at The Village Theater in New York City, a venue that will soon be renamed The Fillmore East. 
• No full live shows from 1967 have been officially released. 

1968 in Grateful Dead History

• On Valentine’s Day, The Carousel Ballroom opens in San Francisco, and the Dead play the venue’s first show. Bill Graham would eventually buy the Carousel and rename it, The Fillmore West. 
• In March, the band moves out of 710 Ashbury in San Francisco
• The Dead play their first show at the now renamed Fillmore East on June 14. 
• On July 18, the Dead release their 2nd studio album, entitled Anthem Of The Sun. 
• The Dead play their first New Year’s Eve show at Winterland. 
• The following live concerts from 1968 been officially released: February 14, 22, 23, & 24, March 17 and August 24.