GOOD OL' GRATEFUL DEADCAST
Episode: Here Comes Sunshine: Des Moines, 5/13/73
Release Date: May 11, 2023
Hosts: Rich Mahan & Jesse Jarnow
Overview
In this episode, Rich Mahan and Jesse Jarnow journey back to the epic Grateful Dead show at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines on May 13, 1973. As part of the "Here Comes Sunshine" box set, this three-set marathon performance is remembered as a pivotal moment in Grateful Dead history—featuring fresh material, innovative concert production, and colorful behind-the-scenes tales. The hosts gather stories from band members, promoters, staff, and fans to paint a vibrant picture of the Dead’s logistical and cultural evolution in 1973.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Setting the Stage: The 1973 Des Moines Show
- The Era: By May 1973, the Grateful Dead had just formed their own record label and begun integrating a major new batch of Garcia/Hunter songs into their setlists (04:54–06:21).
- “They’d hardly taken the six weeks off. In mid-April, the band officially formed their own record company, Grateful Dead Records...” — Jesse Jarnow [04:54]
- Show Scale: Unlike typical Dead shows (~22–25 songs), these were sprawling 32–33-song marathons, including multi-set jams and new material (07:03).
The Midwest Promoters: Music Circuit’s Story
- Who Were They? Steve White (“Whizzer”), John Hoch, and Jim Henneberry were Iowa “country bumpkins” who took a wild chance to promote the Dead (07:57–10:19).
- “We thought promoting rock concerts would be a fun and quick way to make money...” — Steve White [09:22]
- How the Show Got Booked: Multiple failed attempts to contact the Dead led to an unexpected brush with legendary music manager Irving Azoff and, eventually, to industry heavyweights Barry Fey and Bill Graham (12:15–15:13).
- “We were 23 years old…how Barry Fay and Bill Graham took a chance with us is just mind-boggling to me.” — John Hoch [14:25]
Inside the Grateful Dead’s Office Culture
- Women in the Office: Key staff like Gail Helland (Cosmic Gail) and Rita Gentry share memories of their hands-on, self-reliant office—psychedelic tie-dyes, smoke, and all (16:31–23:23).
- “If you got off the elevator…it smelled like pot. Everything was tie-dyed...it was really efficient. It really worked well.” — Donna Jean Godchaux [22:00]
- “I was always afraid of getting dosed...I escaped that thing that it didn’t happen to me.” — Rita Gentry [22:53]
- Business Meets Chaos: The Dead’s back-office remained tightly knit, professional, and deeply countercultural (18:29, 28:40, 30:33).
Logistics of Touring in 1973
- Booking and Planning: All travel was done “by hand”—typewriters, carbon paper, and marathon phone calls with airlines were the norm (32:33–35:21).
- “There is not even a fax machine. Here’s my list of tools: a telephone headset, typewriter...and a jar of bennies. That’s it.” — Rosie McGee (read by Jesse Jarnow) [32:48]
- Travel Antics: An infamous 1972 hotel fireworks fiasco involving the band, the Secret Service, and a rain of feathers is recounted by lighting director Candace Brightman and Donna Jean (36:18–41:28).
Innovations in Promotion & Concert Production
- Regional Ticketing System: Instead of corporate giants, tickets were sold via a homegrown network of 70+ record stores and buses (47:12–48:32).
- “The way we delivered our tickets was by a runner or the Greyhound bus.” — Steve White [48:32]
- Stage Craft: Bill Graham’s insistence on professionalism led to Music Circuit designing their own rainproof staging roof—eventually used by the Eagles, Clapton, and more (49:51–51:20).
Show Day: Antics, Atmosphere & Incidents
- Attendance & Vibe: 15–20,000 came, including Hells Angels, with food, picnic baskets, and a trusting family atmosphere (61:04–63:41).
- "We brought in our parents…we had no security…3,000 people are coming up…and giving all cash." — John Hoch [61:08]
- Security Lapses: Security was handled by friends; chaos reigned backstage, and the promoters recall near-total exhaustion (64:44–65:15).
- Onstage Action: Bill Graham personally handled unruly fans, diving into the crowd (65:25–66:07).
- Setlist and Sound: Dead played three sets over 4 hours and 21 minutes—the biggest talking point in town was the mountain of speakers and pristine sound (54:36–68:26).
- Notable Technical Stories: Garcia played three different guitars that night, including the only public appearance of the “Eagle” Alembic (72:40).
Memorable Moments and Quotes
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The Rainbow: A brief rain shower and a double rainbow appeared during “Here Comes Sunshine”—a synchrony so mystical that some in the crowd thought it was staged (81:41–85:13).
- "When they played Looks Like Rain and went into Here Comes Sunshine...there was a double rainbow." — Bob Glaza [81:41, 85:13]
- “How did you guys make that rainbow come out over the stage? He thought it was some production aspect.” — Steve White [85:26]
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Violence & Rescue: An attempted fence-jumper stabs a promoter; another attendee heroically intervenes, earning Bill Graham’s respect (79:15–81:17).
- “Bill Graham always called everybody Mr...he says, 'That was a very brave thing you did, Mr....'” — Steve White [81:17]
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Donna Jean’s Pregnancy: Donna Jean reveals to Jerry Garcia backstage that she’s pregnant, to his cool approval; Robert Hunter quips with classic dry wit (55:14–56:46).
Aftermath & Legacy
- Learning Curve: The show ended with Bill Graham famously chewing out the young promoters for chaos, but ultimately they learned and were welcomed back to promote future shows (94:24–95:55).
- “You fucked this show up, you fuck…The only thing you know how to do is sell tickets.” — Bill Graham, as remembered by Steve White [94:24]
- Innovators in the Region: The Music Circuit crew went on to become regional concert production leaders, influencing live music logistics for years to come (96:04–97:42).
Timestamps for Core Segments
- Intro, Box Set Overview: 00:00–07:03
- Promoter Stories & Booking: 07:48–15:36
- Dead Office Staff, Business Rundown: 16:31–31:11
- Touring Logistics & Antics: 32:33–43:18
- Promoter War Stories & Production: 44:41–53:14
- Fan & Promoter Show Day Memories: 61:04–69:04
- Technical Deep Dive (Guitars/Sound): 71:02–77:46
- Rainbow, Weather, Mystical Moments: 81:41–85:26
- Aftermath, Business Lessons: 94:24–97:42
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Marionette Office Life:
“All the lights were covered with tie-dyes. It was totally psychedelic. They would just walk backwards, go back into the elevator...‘Where am I? I don’t know where I am, but it’s not right.’”
— Donna Jean Godchaux [21:18] -
On 1973 Dead Shows:
“These are 33, 32 song shows. They don’t want to stop playing…and they aren’t just little songs. There’s 20 minute Playing in the Bands, there’s 20 minute Other Ones.”
— Rich Mahan [07:03] -
On the Grateful Dead’s Impact on Entrepreneurship:
"Looking through the Dead’s booking in the 1960s...it was almost required that they book the Dead. That they weren’t particularly Deadheads...It would be the Dead that kicked them into gear."
— Jesse Jarnow [10:41] -
On the Show’s Rainbow:
“The clouds would cover the sun and it surely looks like rain…and then back and forth. That was pretty cool.”
— Bob Glaza [82:14] -
On Steve White’s Introduction to the Business:
“We thought promoting rock concerts would be a fun and quick way to make money.”
— Steve White [09:22] -
On Bill Graham’s No-Nonsense Attitude:
“You fucked this show up, you fuck…the only thing you know how to do is sell tickets.”
— Bill Graham (via Steve White) [94:24] -
On Logistics Pre-Computers:
“There is not even a fax machine. Here’s my list of tools: a telephone headset, typewriter...and a jar of bennies. That’s it.”
— Rosie McGee (read by Jesse Jarnow) [32:48] -
On Legendary Show Days:
“It was a magical day…they played beautifully and they played for hour after hour with just a few breaks there, and it was a magical day.”
— John Hoch [85:51]
Conclusion
This episode is an immersive oral history of one of the Grateful Dead’s most storied shows, pulling back the curtain on the unique blend of chaos, innovation, and community that defined not just Des Moines '73, but the entire Grateful Dead enterprise during this era. From business acumen to magical rainbows, it’s a deep, colorful story of music, mayhem, and the moments that made the Dead legendary.