© Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography

It’s a beautiful Spring day in Marin County. I’m sitting on a red, white and blue beach chair in the front row down by a small beach area, where a stage has sound people working to get ready. I’m surrounded by Deadheads old and young. People are talking to friends and comparing shows they were at. Finally the beach park gets packed and is ready for the show. There is a stage setup with water and sail boats in the back ground area. One ship had a steal your face flag another has it on the boat. You probably would think I’m at a Grateful Dead cover band show, but I’d never thought I’d see any Dead members in a small mellow venue. The day started with an announcement on Phil and the restaurant’s social media accounts. Suddenly Phil Lesh appears and is greeted by his fellow bay area musicians, whom he will be playing with. Phil grabs his Base and walks out on stage. As I saw Phil literally standing in front of me my mind flashed back to the first time I saw Phil in 1993 at Giant Stadium. 

© Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography

My First Grateful Dead Concert

© Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography

After sitting in traffic at the Holland Tunnel on the Jersey Turnpike in the rain, we finally got to Giant stadium. What I saw when we entered the parking lot was like nothing I have ever seen before. There was a community of people camped in the parking lot in various types of vehicles. Then what I could only describe as a Hippy Flea market, where everything from clothes, memorabilia, food, and drugs were sold. This area was referred to as Shakedown Street, the area in the parking lot where the vending takes place.  But the thing that was most interesting thing for me was just not just how friendly everyone one was but how they all seemed connected by the music. Older Deadheads would talk with younger ones and share memories. It didn’t matter what political party or how you dressed everyone one had something in common, the music.. That feeling is why I find myself 30 years, after Jerry Garcia’s passing, I still try to catch a the guys shows when in town.

My first show was at Giant Stadium in 1993. I attended the show with my sister and friends, who was a Deadhead. At the time as far as I knew I was there to see the opening act who was Sting. Before the show I listened to the American Beauty CD. I was hooked right away.The entire alum was packed with great songs, but my favorite at was called “Box of Rain”, a song by the Grateful Dead, from their 1970 album “American Beauty.” The song was composed by Phil and lyricist Robert Hunter, and sung by Lesh. That night it rained and pored during the show. We were halfway back in the upper level. Guess what was the encore that night? It was “Box of Rain.

When Jerry Garcia died in 1995 I thought it would be the end of the road for me. One of the things on my bucket list at the time was to see the band play in their home city San Francisco. I was lucky enough to be working with a non profit organization called Headcount (register people to vote at shows). It was so great to see Phil, Bobby, Mickey and Bill play together for the” Fare Thee Well” shows in a Football Stadium in Santa Clara, California in 2015. As much as I love shows it is so great and rare to see someone in a small venue I didn’t think that would happen.

The Birth of Terrapin Crossroads

All of the shows I attended were at filled arena’s and stadiums. The largest venue I saw them was at an old airfare base in a town called Highgate in Vermont in 1995. Then something happened that could only be called a Deadhead’s fantasy. On March 29, 2011, Phil Lesh posted a statement on the Furthur.net site community message board that he was planning to open a new live music venue in Marin County, north of San Francisco., “We’re taking the first steps to make a long time dream – a permanent musical home – come true. We are purchasing a building in Marin, and plan on remodeling it to feel .” The first place they wanted to have it didn’t work out. They were able to build it in San Rafael, California. They called it “Terrapin” Crossroads”. The restaurant just happen to be named after my favorite Dead song (Terrapin Station). It also was half the name of my favorite college bar called “Crossroads.”

 After the acquisition of the old Seafood Peddler Restaurant/ Palm Ballroom site along the San Rafael Creek, off Francisco Boulevard in San Rafael, California, Terrapin Crossroads was less than a mile from the Grateful Dead’s old studio and offices at 20 Front Street.There was an inside restaurant, outside was a backyard with sand in the back, along with things kids could play. With a multipurpose setup that included a local-sourced restaurant, adjoining small stage and bar with an always interesting mix of craft brews on tap, side room for kids and games, roomy outdoor patio, and large upstairs lounge, the site’s jewel was the so-called Grate Room, a 300 or so capacity square listening room and dance space that became a magnet for a host of local, regional, and national bands to perform, often with Phil Lesh part of the band, or as a drop-in guest who would play for a couple/few songs at times. You never knew who to expect. The craziest night was when Phish Bassist Mike Gordoen joined Phil. I have never seen the inside that packed checkout some of the video from there that I shot.

Going to Terrapin was like a dream. Phil started a series of free concerts in the backyard called “Songs To Fill The Air”.Sometimes the band played without a drummer. If you went on a slow night Phil could still play. Watching Phils face you can tell how much he loved playing no mater if it’s 50,000 or 50. My heart along with everyone else’s broke when they made the decision to close after 9 years. My greatest moment was on a night where his son Grahame Lesh (who is supper musician himself and a band called “Midnight North), were leaving I asked if it was OK to take a picture he replied “sure”.

© Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography

The Day the Music Died in Marin

On October 25, 2024 we lost Phil. I have driven by the old TC sign and building always thinking how lucky I was to see him in all the aspects of his music. As the song says “The Music never Stopped.”

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