On a hot and sweaty evening in early June, Tir Na Nog in Midtown Manhattan had been transformed into a hippie heaven. The back room was illuminated by lava lamps which cast a purple shadow on life-size cut outs of Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir who were all lined up in front of a tie-dye backdrop.
Tir Na Nog had been the host of yet another exclusive Wall Street Dead aHead networking event- where Deadheads network with likeminded professionals.
Formed in the 1960’s, the Grateful Dead has the most loyal fan base a band will ever see. Grateful Dead fans, known as “Deadheads” are die-hard fans that traveled around the country to see as many shows as possible. Urban Dictionary defines Deadheads as “a collective sub-culture of ‘dedicated’ fans of the American psychedelic/jam/rock band the Grateful Dead.”
The Grateful Dead formed in the height of psychedelic music when bands like the Beatles dominated the charts. They created their own unique sound combining rock, blues, folk, jazz, country and reggae, and it was this sound that coined them as a “jam band.” For many fans, the Grateful Dead was more than just music; it was a lifestyle.
No two Dead shows were ever the same since the Grateful Dead had a different set list for every show played. Although it was looked down upon by other bands at the time, the Grateful Dead encouraged their fans to record their shows. This is one way the Dead built a community between the band and their fans. Fans began traveling from city to city across the country to watch the Grateful Dead perform.
The Grateful Dead gave birth to a culture that was never seen before. Fans began to follow the Dead in bands of strangers who soon became family. The Deadhead culture was built off of love, friendship, and lending a hand to those in need. It was obvious that people within this community cared about one another. This loving culture soon became a widespread phenomenon. Wall Street Dead aHead family member Nathan Duvall describes the Dead culture as a world filled with kindness.
“Grateful Dead culture is based on one word, ‘Kindness,’” says Duvall. “Just be kind. Put your best thoughts and actions forward and it results in the most amazing experiences. Telepathy, communion, surrender…it all happens if you’re willing to just be kind and open minded.”
In order to survive, Deadheads began selling items in the parking lots before shows on “Shakedown Street.” Here, Deadheads sold tie-dye shirts, jewelry, stickers, skulls, and even food. Tie-dye, dancing bears, and Steal Your Face skulls are some images that are long associated with the band and its fans. This culture is still very alive and present today.
Fast forward almost fifty years later and the free-spirted loving culture of the Grateful Dead still exists today. Portfolio manager Deb Solomon began to see Wall Street professionals time and time again at various Dead shows. A new business was born in 2012 when Solomon created Wall Street Dead aHead Networking Events– exclusive networking events for Wall Street professionals who all have one thing in common: the love of the Dead.
Solomon holds networking events throughout the year for professionals who are a part of the “family.” In order to become a part of the family, one needs to send an $85 check and fill out a form which includes their contact information, the name of their employer, their title and favorite Dead song. Through this loving culture, Solomon is changing the networking game.
“I discovered Wall Street Dead aHead through Rolling Stone’s profile on the networking group,” says Duvall. “I saw how Deb Solomon created this amazing opportunity to create business opportunities with a moral compass. Thank you, Deb!”
In a day in age where society is so technology obsessed, many are forgetting the importance of building strong, personal relationships. Wall Street Dead aHead seeks out to change this current phenomenon with unique events aimed at old-fashion networking. I was lucky enough to intern with Wall Street Dead aHead this past summer and I was able to witness firsthand how awesome these events are.
A line in the famous Sugar Magnolia goes “strangers stopping strangers just to shake their hand.” This is exactly what goes on inside Wall Street Dead aHead events. When a member arrives at a networking event, they are greeted with a nametag with their name, the name of the company they work for, and their favorite song. The love of the Dead is the only icebreaker you’ll need inside these events.
The Girls Hang was my first networking event with Wall Street Dead aHead. This was an exclusive “Dead Girls” event- only female family members could attend. Women began to flood the room in fun, flowy sundresses. Being in a room filled with successful women who all share a common love for the Grateful Dead was such a unique experience. Striking up conversations with each woman was so easy since we already shared that common musical interest. This was an intimate event with less than 40 people in attendance and because of this; I was able to really get to know each and every one of these women.
Solomon’s idea of adding the attendee’s favorite song on their nametag is a brilliant idea. Right away, women began striking up conversations about the Dead asking questions like: “out of all songs, why is that your favorite song? “Who is your favorite band member? How many times did you see the Dead live?”
9 out of 10 times, these women had attended the same show and they began remonetizing about their younger days before getting into to a more serious, business dialogue. From sale executives to CEOS, business connections were being made. Just like back in the day- strangers slowly started to become family. While interning with Wall Street Dead aHead, I also attended a wine tasting event where even more business connections had been made.
C-Suite family members met at TriPoint Global Equities in the heart of Times Square for a wine tasting event. Cleartrust, a stock transfer agent, sponsored this event with Wall Street Dead aHead in order to make new business connections with people they knew they could trust. Because Solomon personally selects those she welcomes in the family, she puts the right people in contact with one another.
Men showed up in their business suits with their tie-dye shirts underneath. Cleartrust opened the event with a speech regarding the type of business connections they needed, and family members began to interact. Hands were shaken and numbers were exchanged. Once again, Solomon held another successful networking event.
Deadheads are now able to relive their glory days with the formation of Dead and Company. Formed in 2015, Dead and Company consists of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann with the very talented John Mayor. Dead and Company played their first show Halloween night at Madison Square Garden in 2015 and went on tour the following year. Just like they did with the Grateful Dead, Deadheads began to follow Dead and Company from city to city to see their shows.
I was lucky enough to see Dead and Company in June 2016 at Citi Field in Corona, Queens. Solomon insisted I go to the tailgate so I can get a true taste of the Dead culture. Entering the parking lot was like walking into the 1970’s- it was littered with men and women in tie-dye and Volkswagen Westfalia campers were parked all over the place. I hung with a group of Wall Street Dead aHead family members before the show.
This was where I met Duvall. He was decked out in tie-dye with a Steal Your Face logo smack in the middle of his t-shirt. He was everything a Deadhead is: kind, loving, and all around welcoming. I asked Duvall how he got into the Dead:
“I was literally dragged to my first show at Irvine Meadows in April of ’87. Howard Lehr bought me my first ticket and promised me LSD, naked women, and a long drum solo halfway through the show. I relented. As a drummer I lost my shit when I first heard Mickey and Billy going nuts on Home Plate and playing The Beam. A strange beautiful girl kissed me for smiling, people shared their drugs, and I ate a perfect steak from a stranger’s BBQ in the parking lot. I was sold!” says Duvall.
Duvall witnessed firsthand how accepting this culture is. As a musician, this band holds a special place in his heart. “Grateful Dead music feeds the soul,” explains Duvall. “I use it as a tool for greater understanding in my music career. I use it as a coping mechanism against a cold hard world. I will climb into a song and you can’t fucking touch me. I use music to share and communicate simple stories of truth.”
The music and culture behind the Grateful Dead is something so special to their fans. Because of Solomon, Wall Street Dead aHead is yet another aspect of the Dead they hold dear.
“On a personal level it (Wall Street Dead aHead) gave me a new group of friends that I love dearly like you. We communicate if not daily at least weekly and that’s more important than anything. On a business note, Deb has put me in touch with real players and I’m now extremely close to starting a project with a Dead member. We’ll see. Fingers crossed. I worked for Peter Jackson on Lord of the Rings as his trailer music supervisor and producer. I reached over a billion people with my music adaptations and I would like to do the same for the Grateful Dead. That’s my gift…Inspiring people to act with the power for music…and I learned a lot of that from Grateful Dead concerts and the community that supports them!”
