Date of Award
Spring 2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS) in Geographic Information Science & Technology
Department
Chemistry & Geosciences
Committee Chair
Mark Sciuchetti, Jr.
Abstract
This paper will explore sonic geography and its impact on human and cultural geography through popular music, specifically the Grateful Dead, from 1995 to 2022. This research focuses on the eventization of the band and popular music post-Jerry Garcia’s death, whereas previous research has focused primarily on the band from 1965 to 1995. The infamous psychedelic rock and roll band was widely known for the created and imagined communities that it forged over their 30-year run. Recent research on soundscapes and music’s role in the study of geography precipitated the need for more attention to music geography. This paper explores the listeners’ experiences of the Grateful Dead’s music to investigate how the Grateful Dead’s music creates an affective place experience, thus establishing a larger communal soundscape of the Grateful Dead. This work explores how the power of sound can symbolize or leave a powerful imprint in listeners’ minds and how this contributes to self-identity, community, and our perception of place. This work examines Grateful Dead-inspired cover bands, the difference in the Deadhead community post-Jerry Garcia’s death, and how the popular music scene for psychedelic rock has evolved over the years.