31 Fans Arrested at Grateful Dead’s Opening Concert

The Deadheads are back.

Thirty-one of them were arrested by police Friday night at the Long Beach Arena concert of an aging rock ‘n’ roll band, the Grateful Dead. Thirteen adults and 18 juveniles were booked for being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Lt. Rod Mickelson said.

The Deadheads, however, caused “no major problems” on the first night of the Grateful Dead’s three-day stint in Long Beach, police said. And the band’s loyal counterculture disciples drew praise from the arena’s parking lot supervisor who marveled that they were picking up their trash.

Two people who had ingested hallucinogenics were treated at Pacific Hospital in Long Beach and released, Mickelson said.

Long Beach police said two drugs of choice were LSD and magic mushrooms (psilocybin), which were popular in the 1960s but rarely seen at today’s rock concerts.

Several hundred Deadheads, many of whom follow the Grateful Dead from city to city, turned a huge arena parking lot this weekend into an asphalt campground.

On Saturday, the scene resembled a swap meet in a time warp. Thanks to Deadheads anxious to make a buck, the place was awash in rainbow tie-dyed T-shirts, a dinosaur of the ‘60s.

John Anderson, a college student from the Bay Area, waxed philosophically about the rock ‘n’ roll group.

“Dead shows are real mellow,” said the five-year groupie. “There is a lot of love and caring. It’s probably the closest to world peace you’ll find.”