YEAR OF THE DEAD: Grateful Dead Sing National Anthem At Giants Opening Day, 1993
CANDLESTICK PARK (KCBS) -- This is the year of the Dead, as America and especially their Bay Area home says farewell to the Grateful Dead 50 years after the band was founded, marks the 20th year since the passing of lead singer Jerry Garcia, and anticipates the triumphal and final return of the band to the Bay Area stage June 27th and 28th at Levi's Stadium.
One song you won't hear on tour, however, is especially relevant today, Giants Opening Day, 2015.
Deep in the the KCBS audio vault is a recording of the band singing an a'capella version of The Star Spangled Banner to open the season for teh Giants on April 12th, 1993.
In this 22-year-old recording, a young Rebecca Corral talks with Jerry Garcia, heard on the mic, and band members Bob Weir and Vince Welnick in the background about the opportunity to finally sing the national anthem at the Giants game.
Garcia mentions that he's not a huge Giants fan, while a band mate quickly adds, "You're not the smallest Giant's fan either!"
The surviving members of the Grateful Dead will play in Santa Clara before their farewell concerts in Chicago.
Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir announced the two shows will take place at the home of the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, June 27th and Sunday, June 28th.
The Bay Area shows will take place one week before three farewell concerts at Soldier Field in Chicago, as part of the "Fare Thee Well" tour.
Response for the concerts in Chicago have been overwhelming, with tickets for the shows being snapped up in minutes. Sixty thousand fans requested tickets for the shows by mail, far more than the 5,000 to 10,000 the band expected.
Tickets are on sale through a request system on the band's website. Stadium seat license holders will be able to buy a limited about of tickets through an exclusive presale.