This past weekend, the worlds of luxury and counterculture collided at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, as a new breed of Grateful Dead fans—often referred to as Deadheads—graced the marble hallways with tie-dye attire and Birkenstocks, ready to indulge in a weekend reminiscent of 1974, but with a modern price tag.
The unique tapestry of this event showcased the rising trend within the Grateful Dead community, where high-end spending has become increasingly noticeable, prompting some traditional fans to express their discontent with the commercialization of the experience.
As early as Friday morning, the opulent lobby of the Fairmont buzzed with excitement. Deadheads and weary travelers, all in town for a three-day stint of Dead & Company concerts in Golden Gate Park, filled the space with vibrant colors and animated conversations.
The Fairmont was one of the 14 luxury hotels located within the exclusive VIP packages, which carried eye-watering price tags ranging from $1,700 to $6,300—travel and extras not included.
Valets were busy as luxurious vehicles—mostly SUVs and sedans—arrived to drop off attendees, while bellhops wheeled in a mix of whimsical Dead-themed luggage alongside premium Rimowa pieces for their affluent clientele.
After checking in, attendees gathered outside, waiting for their Ubers to transport them to Golden Gate Park. Among them was Steve Leyton, a seasoned Deadhead who had been to an astonishing 500 shows. He stood with friends, his humor laden with the charm typical of a boomer dad who has embraced his passion for the Dead—which he has every right to, he maintains.
Having founded a successful design firm 30 years ago, Leyton expressed that he feels justified in spending money on comforts that enhance his concert experience, like avoiding restroom lines, especially after undergoing knee surgery eight weeks prior.
“I’ve earned this right. I’ve spent decades sleeping in cars, tents, and on the sand. I’m 65 now, and I deserve to enjoy it, even if it comes at a steep cost,” he candidly remarked.
His friends Erin O’Brien and Smokey Stout chimed in, noting that their cumulative expenditures for a weekend of luxurious immersion, including first-class flights and VIP tickets, approached $10,000.
Stout humorously added, “It beats taking a covered wagon and losing half your family.”
The hotel’s grand stairwell echoed the vibrancy of the weekend with tie-dye colorful lights, and the air was filled with anticipation as VIP guests collected their commemorative posters and tote bags. Despite the excitement, the Fairmont and the band’s spokespeople remained tight-lipped about the specific number of VIP tickets sold, but anecdotal evidence revealed hundreds of posters designated solely for Fairmont guests.
Among those basking in the luxury was Chris Kovac, the CEO of an artificial intelligence company, who donned a shirt that proclaimed, “DEAD FOREVER LIVE AT THE LAS VEGAS SPHERE 2025.” Originating from Kansas City, Kovac shared that the Grateful Dead experience had shifted significantly as he prepared for his 50th birthday, with the VIP package serving as a celebratory gift to himself.
“The Sphere changed our lives,” he noted, reflecting on the energy and enthusiasm that surrounded their choice to attend the Golden Gate shows.
Conversing amid the Fairmont’s elegant shopping area were others who mirrored this blend of wealth and devotion to the music. Men wearing golf polos accompanied by Grateful Dead trucker hats were seen shopping for fine wines and premium cigars, while women explored manicure options at the hotel spa.
Josh Franklin, who oversees a $100 million pharmaceutical company, shared that he had attended about 1,000 Grateful Dead shows since his first concert in 1988. When prompted about his experience over the years, he reminisced about the unpredictability and excitement of past shows, though he acknowledged that the travel has transformed significantly.
“In the old days, you did whatever you had to for a ticket,” he remarked with a touch of nostalgia, though he declined to elaborate on the more questionable details of his past exploits.
Franklin and his wife, Anne, recently flew from Newark to San Francisco, incurring an expense of between $5,000 and $10,000 for their Fairmont stay—a price deemed worthwhile to ensure they were well-rested for their concert excursions.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo Rojas and Stephen Ash, connected through their shared interest in psychedelics, found themselves enjoying the sun on the hotel deck after arriving from Oregon. Their trip had set them back around $2,000, but Rojas voiced his reservations about the costs.
“I wasn’t going to come for that reason—it’s a little spendy and kind of far removed from the old days when it was a VW van and sleeping on the ground and such,” he admitted, reflecting on the nostalgia many fans feel toward the Dead’s more humble beginnings.
“But we’re all older and achy now,” he concluded, echoing a sentiment resonating with many attendees seeking a balance between their cherished memories and the comforts of modern-day revelry.
image source from：sfstandard
