scene update
Inside the Grateful Dead Archive: more than recordings
The Grateful Dead Archive Online gives the band's history a form beyond a set list or a concert recording. The University of California, Santa Cruz project describes a collection of more than 45,000 digitized items drawn from the university's archive and material contributed by fans. Its catalog includes photographs, posters, fanzines, tickets, interviews, videos, decorated envelopes and other artifacts alongside concert-related material.
That breadth makes the collection useful for following how a touring scene documented itself: fan-made publications and correspondence sit beside materials created by the band and its collaborators. The archive also connects readers to related online resources, including annotated lyrics and recordings held elsewhere. It is a research collection as well as a discovery point for listeners who want context around the music.
The Internet Archive maintains a separate Grateful Dead collection and explains that recording access can differ by source. Check each collection's own notes before assuming that every item is downloadable or that one archive's rules apply to another.
Source check: The Grateful Dead Archive Online and the Internet Archive describe their collections and access information.
Sources and reporting
Confirm time-sensitive travel, ticket, and venue details with the linked official source before you go.