‘Deadhead’ from Normal reflects on band’s final concerts

Posted on July 6, 2015
Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead performed before crowds topping 70,000 in their ‘Fare Thee Well” concerts at Soldier Field last weekend. (Photo courtesy YouTube)

By Eric Stock

CHICAGO – Grateful Dead fans filled Soldier Field in record numbers over the weekend for the band’s three farewell concerts and WJBC talked to a ‘deadhead’ from Normal who was there.

Dave Yates said he felt mixed emotions seeing the legendary band perform together for the final time.

“I gave a lot of hugs and wiped a lot of tears from other people’s faces,” Yates said. “It was just very emotional.”

PODCAST: Listen to Dan and Colleen’s interview with Yates on WJBC.

Yates told WJBC’s Dan Swaney the stadium was filled with fans young and old and from all walks of life, but all with the common bond, their love for Grateful Dead music.

“It was a big family reunion, you got there and the party had already started,” Yates recalled, adding they were the best three concerts he has ever seen.

He said the concerts served a weekend-long tribute to the band’s leader Jerry Garcia whose last performance was in Chicago 20 years ago before he died.

“All good things have to come to an end sometime,” Yates said.

Soldier Field broke its post-renovation attendance record set by U2 in 2009.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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