San Jose Rocks Celebrates 60th Anniversary of Grateful Dead's Debut Performance
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and San Jose Rocks are hosting a celebration to honor the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead's first performance under that name. The event will take place on December 4 at 4pm at San Jose City Hall, where a commemorative bronze plaque will be unveiled above the footprint of the house where the band played their first notes. The celebration will include psychedelic light projections on City Hall's rotunda and an exhibit of rare Grateful Dead memorabilia and artifacts from the 1965 Acid Test staged by Ken Kesey at the Fifth Street house.
The Grateful Dead, originally known as "The Warlocks," were asked by Kesey to provide live music at the Acid Test event, prompting them to adopt the name The Grateful Dead. The band went on to become a global phenomenon, and the plaque at City Hall will serve as a permanent reminder of their roots in San Jose. The celebration is organized and funded by San Jose Rocks, a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating the city's musical heritage and promoting music education for young people.
After years of research, the exact location of the Grateful Dead's debut event and Kesey's Acid Test was identified as 38 South Fifth Street. The house that once stood there was relocated to 390 North Fourth Street during the construction of the new San Jose City Hall. Kesey chose the San Jose location for the Acid Test because it was near the San Jose Civic Auditorium, where the Rolling Stones were performing on the same evening. The event aims to commemorate San Jose's pivotal role in music history and inspire future generations of musicians.
As part of the 60th anniversary commemoration, San Jose Rocks commissioned Stanley Mouse, a legendary poster artist known for his Grateful Dead imagery, to create an exclusive print celebrating the band's debut performance. Premium donors to the project will receive limited-edition prints of Mouse's artwork. The celebration will feature various events, including musical performances, a drum procession, and a psychedelic light show projected onto City Hall's rotunda and West Wing.
All events are free and open to the public at San Jose City Hall, located at 200 E. Santa Clara Street. The celebration will begin at 4pm with the event area opening at City Hall's South Plaza. The San Jose State Musical Jam Band Students will perform greeting songs, followed by a drum procession leading to the Sonic Runway, which will illuminate with light and sound. The psychedelic light show will feature historic Grateful Dead and Acid Test imagery, and a reception with a rare exhibit will be held at the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
For more information about San Jose Rocks and the 60th anniversary celebration, visit their website at sanjoserocks.org.