ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 examines the role of chaos and creative destruction at Grateful Dead concerts, focusing on the group’s quintessential improvisational piece “Dark Star,” the concerts’ dynamic flow, psychedelic experience, and ritual Dionysian gatherings. The structure, lyrics, and performance history of “Dark Star” are discussed as a microcosm of the group’s maturing improvisational approach. Commentary on ancient Greek practices is summarized along with criticism of the Dionysian elements of Grateful Dead concerts. The death-rebirth trope in theories of psychedelic ego-loss is considered while exposing the limitations of approaches centered on the individual as opposed to the group. Garcia’s accounts of transformative psychedelic experience are compared with historical perspectives on the use of LSD’s organic relatives.
