Grateful Dead's 1968 Concert History

Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. Originally known as the Warlocks, the band's first show took place on May 5, 1965. On December 4, 1965, the band performed their first show as the "Grateful Dead" during one of Ken Kessey's series of parties known as the "Acid Tests". The band's loyal fanbase, commonly referred to as "Deadheads", quickly gained widespread recognition for following the Dead on their tours, their countercultural lifestyle, opposition to the Vietnam War, and open use of psychedelic substances like LSD and cannabis. The Grateful Dead performed together for three decades until founding member Jerry Garcia's death on August 9, 1995, exactly one month after the Grateful Dead's final concert. Subsequently, many other spinoff bands emerged, including Dead & Company, Phil Lesh & Friends, and Bob Weir & RatDog.

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Grateful Dead had 136 concerts in 1968

Date Concert Venue Location
Dec 31, 1968
Grateful Dead / Quicksilver Messenger Service / It's A Beautiful Day / Santana
  Photos   Setlists
Winterland San Francisco, California, United States
Dec 29, 1968
Grateful Dead
  Photos   Setlists
Gulfstream Park Hallandale, Florida, United States
Dec 28, 1968
Grateful Dead
  Setlists
The Catacombs Houston, Texas, United States
Dec 28, 1968 –
Dec 30, 1968
Miami Pop Festival II 1968
Fleetwood Mac / Joni Mitchell / Canned Heat / José Feliciano / The Turtles / Booker T. & The MG's / Procol Harum / Grateful Dead / The Box Tops / Richie Havens / John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers / The Grass Roots / Iron Butterfly / Buffy Sainte-Marie / The McCoys / Paul Butterfield Blues Band / Hugh Masekela / Flatt And Scruggs / Blues Image / Junior Walker And The All Stars / ian and sylvia / Sweet Inspirations / marvin gaye / H.P. Lovecraft / sweetwater / Charles Lloyd Quartet / Joe Tex / James Cotton Blues Band / The Amboy Dukes / The Baxters Show all bands
  Setlists
Gulfstream Park Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States
Show Duplicate for Dec 28, 1968
Dec 24, 1968
Grateful Dead The Matrix San Francisco, California, United States
Dec 23, 1968
Grateful Dead The Matrix San Francisco, California, United States
Dec 21, 1968
Country Joe & The Fish / Grateful Dead / Spirit / ((PULSE)) / Sir Douglas Quintet / Mint Tatoo / Comfortable Chair
  Photos   Setlists
Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall Los Angeles, California, United States
Dec 20, 1968
Country Joe & The Fish / Grateful Dead / Spirit / ((PULSE)) / Sir Douglas Quintet / Mint Tatoo / Comfortable Chair
  Photos   Setlists
Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall Los Angeles, California, United States
Dec 16, 1968
Grateful Dead The Matrix San Francisco, California, United States
Dec 14, 1968
Grateful Dead The Bank Los Angeles, California, United States
Dec 13, 1968
Grateful Dead The Bank Torrance, California, United States
Dec 13, 1968 –
Dec 14, 1968
Magic Sam / Grateful Dead / Turnquist Remedy
  Photos
The Bank aka The Blue Law Torrance, California, United States
Dec 07, 1968
Grateful Dead
  Setlists
Bellarmine University Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Dec 06, 1968
iron butterfly / Steppenwolf / Grateful Dead / Creedence Clearwater Revival / Sly and the Family Stone

2nd Quaker City Rock Festival

  Photos
The Spectrum Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Dec 01, 1968
Grateful Dead
  Photos
Grande Ballroom Detroit, Michigan, United States
Nov 30, 1968
Grateful Dead Hyde Park Teen Center Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Nov 29, 1968
Grateful Dead
  Setlists
Hyde Park Teen Center Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Nov 28, 1968
Grateful Dead / Procol Harum / Terry Reid
  Photos
Kinetic Playground Chicago, Illinois, United States
Nov 27, 1968
Grateful Dead / Procol Harum / Terry Reid
  Photos
Kinetic Playground Chicago, Illinois, United States
Nov 25, 1968
Grateful Dead
  Setlists
Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium Athens, Ohio, United States
Nov 24, 1968
Grateful Dead Hyde Park Teen Center Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Nov 23, 1968
Grateful Dead Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium, Ohio University Columbus, Ohio, United States

Photos from 1968 View All 1968 Photos

Grateful Dead / Preservation Hall Jazz Band / Sons of Champlin on Aug 31, 1968 [503-small]

Grateful Dead / Preservation Hall Jazz Band / Sons of Champlin
Aug 31, 1968
 San Francisco, California, United States
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Grateful Dead / Preservation Hall Jazz Band / Sons of Champlin on Sep 1, 1968 [504-small]

Grateful Dead / Preservation Hall Jazz Band / Sons of Champlin
Sep 1, 1968
 San Francisco, California, United States
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Newport Pop Festival 1968 on Aug 3, 1968 [698-small]

Newport Pop Festival 1968
Aug 3 - 4, 1968
 Los Angeles, California, United States
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Newport Pop Festival on Aug 3, 1968 [163-small]

Newport Pop Festival
Aug 3 - 4, 1968
 Costa Mesa, California, United States
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Country Joe and the Fish / Grateful Dead on Feb 14, 1968 [784-small]

Country Joe and the Fish / Grateful Dead
Feb 14, 1968
 San Francisco, California, United States
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Grateful Dead / Steve Miller Band / Ace of Cups on Sep 20, 1968 [105-small]

Grateful Dead / Steve Miller Band / Ace of Cups
Sep 20, 1968
 San Francisco, California, United States
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Newport Pop Festival 1968 on Aug 3, 1968 [756-small]

Newport Pop Festival 1968
Aug 3 - 4, 1968
 Costa Mesa, California, United States
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Grateful Dead / Quicksilver Messenger Service on Jan 26, 1968 [344-small]

Grateful Dead / Quicksilver Messenger Service
Jan 26, 1968
 Seattle, Washington, United States
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Grateful Dead / Quicksilver Messenger Service on Jan 27, 1968 [345-small]

Grateful Dead / Quicksilver Messenger Service
Jan 27, 1968
 Seattle, Washington, United States
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Grateful Dead / Blue Cheer on Jul 11, 1968 [352-small]

Grateful Dead / Blue Cheer
Jul 11, 1968
 Los Angeles, California, United States
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Grateful Dead / Quicksilver Messenger Service / It's A Beautiful Day / Santana on Dec 31, 1968 [563-small]

Grateful Dead / Quicksilver Messenger Service / It's A Beautiful Day / Santana
Dec 31, 1968
 San Francisco, California, United States
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Genres:

Rock
Pop Rock
Classic Rock
Psychedelic Rock
Folk Rock
Blues Rock
Country Rock
Psychedelic
Jam Band
Roots Rock
Acid Rock
Plunderphonics
Jam
Cosmic American
Double Drumming
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Concerts Per Year:

2026 1 concert
2015 5 concerts
1995 52 concerts
1994 87 concerts
1993 91 concerts
1992 55 concerts
1991 81 concerts
1990 75 concerts
1989 77 concerts
1988 82 concerts
1987 91 concerts
1986 51 concerts
1985 72 concerts
1984 67 concerts
1983 69 concerts
1982 64 concerts
1981 87 concerts
1980 90 concerts
1979 78 concerts
1978 83 concerts
1977 66 concerts
1976 43 concerts
1975 7 concerts
1974 45 concerts
1973 78 concerts
1972 89 concerts
1971 89 concerts
1970 147 concerts
1969 144 concerts
1968 136 concerts
1967 125 concerts
1966 119 concerts
1965 21 concerts
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Comments & Reviews:

Dec 02, 2025

Epic show

Aug 27, 2024

I truly wish everyone got a chance to see The Grateful Dead. Unfortunately anything after 1995 is NOT The Grateful Dead.
There's been some wonderful post Jerry shows played by surviving members. Cherish that you saw their songbook live even though it wasn't The Grateful Dead

Feb 01, 2023

Somebody needs to fix this shit. The grateful dead done in 1995. Why is Dead and Co listed as the Grateful Dead?

Aug 10, 2019

how do i change the fucking date . . . of red rocks show to 1985 ?

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