Dead & Company At Shoreline Amphitheater In Mountain View, California

When we first started debating our family road trip to see the Dead And Company west coast summer tour, the first show we decided that all of us would attend was the concert at Shoreline Amphitheater.

It was the night before our Oceanside beach house vacation started AND on the way — and we were already planning to drive, so the concert would just be a one night stop on our road trip to San Diego.

Saturday morning we packed up the adventure mobile (Brian’s truck) and hit the road, arriving at the Embassy Suites in the late afternoon. We checked into the hotel, moved all of our vacation stuff out of the back of the truck into the front, and headed over to the venue.

Shakedown Street

After seeing such an awesome resurgence of Shakedown Street at the Dead And Company Wheatland show without the kids, we hoped to see it again with the kids in Mountain View. We wanted them to experience Shakedown Street first hand — and our wish was granted.

Shakedown Street at the Shoreline Amphitheater was even better than it was at the Toyota Amphitheater! More people hawking their wares, more hippies, more tie dye, more buses, more food for sale, more musicians playing, more fun.

The kids were in awe!

Carter’s eyes were huge and he held my hand really tightly and stuck to my side like glue. Natalie was fascinated and wanted to check out everything. Brian bought her a tiny elephant and a hemp necklace from a couple vendors — so now she officially has merch from every Shakedown Street we’ve been at.

Dead & Company Shoreline Amphitheater Shakedown Street

Parking Lot Scene at Dead & Company Shoreline Amphitheater Concert

Natalie and Carter with the Amethyst Bus on Shakedown Street

Snapping a family photo in front of the Amethyst Bus

Shoreline Amphitheater

Soon Carter’s growling tummy persuaded us to head inside the Shoreline Amphitheater to hunt down a hot pretzel and check out our seats, which were almost center and about halfway up in the second level. We had a great view of the stage!

Unlike the Wheatland Dead And Company show, this one was sold out, so we knew every seat would be full and just hoped that we had good seatmates — which we did, mostly. The one part of this whole culture we don’t like is the drug use. Now, it’s not my thing and never has been, but I don’t judge and don’t care if other people do it and enjoy it. My only problem is with those who take it too far and get so drunk or high that their behavior negatively affects those around them who paid for their seats. Just my quick two cents.

Anyway, soon Dead And Company took the stage and the entire amphitheater, packed like sardines, went nuts! The Bay Area is home for The Grateful Dead and they have played Shoreline several times. In fact, Brian’s last Grateful Dead show was at the Shoreline in 1995 just before Jerry Garcia died.

Bob Weir With Dead and Company at Shoreline Amphitheater — Dead & Company capped off their summer tour with a packed final show at the Shoreline Amphitheater in the Bay Area, the home of the Grateful Dead.

Dead & Company Summer Tour Final Show

As the final show of the Dead And Company summer tour, Dead fans — of all ages and walks of life — came out in full force to show their love for The Dead. We were all ready for a show to remember and the band didn’t disappoint!

We heard a few more repeats from the Portland concert and the concert at The Gorge, but really at every show the songs are played a bit differently and in a different order, so every show is unique.

Standouts in the first set included Shakedown Street and Cassidy, John Mayer was awesome in Standing On The Moon, and Franklin’s Tower brought the whole venue to its feet to close out the set.

Saint Stephen was the highlight of set two, and iconic NBA player, Dead Head, and friend of the band, Bill Walton, joined Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann for Drums. Then the whole crowd joining together chanting Not Fade Away to close out the set gave me goosebumps — it reminded me of the last night of The Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well Tour in Chicago when the crowd of more than 70,000 chanted Not Fade Away in unison.

The night wrapped up with an enthusiastic, rollicking US Blues, and a beautiful Brokedown Palace.

Dancing with our kiddos and singing along to our favorite Dead songs, sharing this whole experience with them, and snuggling my sleeping son during the tail end of the Dead & Company Portland and Washington shows is truly something I will never forget.

My heart is full and I can’t wait to do it again!