Many international artists have performed by the pyramids of Giza over the years, but their experiences cannot be compared to that of The Grateful Dead in September 1978. The American rock group claimed that they were not there just to perform; they were there to record an album, “harness the ancient energy” of the location, and “levitate” the Great Pyramid off the ground. Although they weren’t able to levitate the Great Pyramid, the trip proved to be a memorable one for the band members, fans, and locals alike. “Egypt instantly became the biggest, baddest, and most legendary field trip that we took during our entire 30 years as a band,” The Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann explained in his book titled Deal: My Three Decades of Drumming, Dreams, and Drugs. A Pharaonic Curse? The band’s trip to Egypt can be described in many ways, but “smooth” isn’t one of them. Set to record the album Rocking the Cradle: Egypt 1978 and perform three consecutive nights of shows, the band members continued to encounter one logistical hurdle after another. To start off, an equipment truck ended up getting stuck in the…
“Harnessing Ancient Energy”: The Grateful Dead’s 1978 Concert in Giza
October 22, 2021
