A Final Opportunity for Grateful Dead History
A special auction centering on items associated with the Grateful Dead’s iconic Wall of Sound is set to conclude later this afternoon. This massive sound system, which debuted on March 23, 1974, during “The Sound Test” at the Cow Palace near San Francisco, remains one of the most ambitious engineering feats in live music history. At its peak, the system comprised over 600 speakers and weighed an astounding 75 tons.
Collectors and fans have until 5:00 PM ET today to place their final bids on the 30 lots featured in Wall of Sound: A Living History of the Grateful Dead. Bidding is currently live for those looking to secure a piece of rock and roll history.
Rare Artifacts and Provenance
The auction features a remarkable array of equipment and memorabilia, each carrying significant historical weight. Among the highlights is a 1971 McIntosh MC 2300 amplifier, housed in its original vintage case, which drummer Bill Kreutzmann famously used to navigate his way to his drum riser. Another standout lot includes an open-back JBL guitar speaker cabinet gifted by Jerry Garcia to Monroe Grisman at The Club Front in San Rafael, CA, complete with a provenance letter from Grisman.
Furthermore, the auction offers a pair of Hard Truckers stage monitors, featuring 10″ JBL speakers and EV tweeter horns pulled directly from the center cluster of the Wall of Sound. Evidence suggests these specific monitors were part of the system that traveled with the band to Egypt in 1978. The collection also includes a rare photograph of the 1974 Wall of Sound at the Hollywood Bowl, personally signed by the system’s visionary, Owsley “Bear” Stanley.
Additional Memorabilia
Beyond the Wall of Sound-specific items, the auction includes a 1967 Fender Twin Reverb amplifier owned and utilized by Jerry Garcia during the 1968 Newport Pop Festival. Fans of the band’s visual aesthetic will find two lots featuring original art created and signed by Stanley Mouse. Additionally, the auction includes a Bill Kreutzmann Zildjian crash cymbal sourced from the estate of the band’s legendary crew chief, “Ram Rod” Shurtliff.
As the clock ticks down, the auction will begin to wrap up, lot by lot, starting at 5:00 PM ET.