Grateful Dead | Large road case, with numerous backstage passes

Property of Grateful Dead Productions

Grateful Dead

Empty road case, ca. 1980s

Oversized black road case (68.5 x 40 x 47’’). With “Grateful Dead” stenciled on the side, 15 backstage passes adhered to case, white tape reading “100,” and hot pink volleyball stickers with sunglasses on the side; as toured. On rollers.

A large, much traveled road case, with a number of backstage passes. These cases were the foundation of the band’s touring, allowing them to transport their plentiful gear safely from venue to venue. While they didn’t produce the sounds that made the Dead famous worldwide, they were what allowed them to happen.

An indispensable piece of touring equipment, and a silent witness the band’s storied career