This March, Proper Cannabis, 4 Hands Brewing Co., SWADE, Robust and Headchange invite the St. Louis community to celebrate the enduring legacy of the Grateful Dead—a band that didn't just make music, but built a movement rooted in connection, creativity, and collective experience. 

More Than a Band 

The Grateful Dead created something unique in American culture. Their shows weren't just concerts—they were gathering places where strangers became friends, where art and music intertwined, and where new ideas about freedom and expression took hold. Cannabis was woven into this tapestry from the beginning, part of a larger philosophy about consciousness, community, and coming together. 

Bob Weir, the band's founding guitarist and rhythm backbone, embodied this philosophy throughout his life. In a 2019 conversation published in High Times, Weir discussed medicinal mushrooms and plant-based wellness with neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, explaining shamanic traditions and how plants help us understand that "we really are all one." This wasn't just talk—Weir lived it, encouraging fans in his later years to become "cannabis voters" and use their voices to influence policy reform. 

Celebrating the Legacy 

Shakedown St. Louis brings this spirit to life through music, art, and community. 

Thursday, March 12 | 7:30 PM SOLD OUT!

Between the Dark and Light – The Grateful Dead Photography of Jay Blakesberg 

Renowned San Francisco photographer Jay Blakesberg brings his acclaimed 90-minute slideshow and storytelling presentation to St. Louis for one night only. Spanning more than 44 years of photographing the Grateful Dead and their extended community, this is the only opportunity for local audiences to hear Blakesberg personally narrate the stories behind his iconic images. 

His journey began in 1978, when his father gave him an old Pentax camera to shoot the Grateful Dead at the Meadowlands. What started as basement-developed photos became a wild ride following the Dead—camera in tow. 

Today, Blakesberg is one of the music industry's most sought-after rock photographers, with work published in Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and Relix. A distinguished fixture on the jam band scene, his comprehensive archive documents the modern psychedelic rock-and-roll tribe through someone who lived it. 

Friday, March 13 | 7:00 PM 

Melvin Seals & JGB and Jake’s Leg – “Gateway to 50 Years” 

This performance marks Melvin Seals & JGB's first time performing in St. Louis this decade, offering local fans a rare opportunity to experience a direct musical link to the Jerry Garcia Band and the Grateful Dead legacy—live, in their hometown. 

 

For over 30 years, Melvin Seals has been a towering figure in jam band music, most revered for his powerful, high-spirited Hammond B-3 organ work during his 18 years with the Jerry Garcia Band. Nicknamed "Master of the Universe" by Jerry Garcia himself, Seals helped pioneer and define the very sound of jam band music, spinning his B-3 magic night after night and bringing an intuitive, expressive style that blends blues, funk, rock, jazz, R&B, and gospel into something transcendent. 

As Jake's Leg steps onto the Pageant stage on March 13th to launch their 50th year, they are not just celebrating a milestone; they're re-affirming a legacy. What began in 1976 has become a living thread woven through the cultural fabric of St. Louis and the wider Deadhead universe. For 50 years, Jake's Leg has been synonymous with the city's jam band heritage, creating a space where musicians and listeners can experience the magic of musical dialogue between band and audience. 

“This series is about St. Louis and its history and involvement with the Dead’s history,” John Pennington, CEO at Proper said. “And bringing together some of the strongest contributors to the Dead’s history and work and St. Louis contributors, is by itself historical and something to praise”.

In-Store Activations: March 12 – April 30 

Select Proper Cannabis locations transform into mini galleries featuring iconic Grateful Dead photography. Explore Dead-inspired products including Chem 91 (a strain famously favored by the band), Pot Brownie Dark Chocolate, and Jerry's Pineapple Upside Down Cake Gumdrops—inspired by St. Louis local and chef to the Grateful Dead, Jim Voss. 

Pop-Up Grateful Dead Photography Installation at 4 Proper Locations

For a limited time — February 27th through April 3rd — select photographs of the Grateful Dead will be displayed at four of our dispensary locations:

• Bridgeton
• Kirkwood
• South County
• Warrenton



The Grateful Dead Photo Raffle Benefitting New Growth Horizon

For a chance to own one of these incredible photographs, enter our raffle supporting New Growth Horizon. Scan the QR codes in any of the four participating locations, or enter online here.

Entries are available at the following donation amounts:

• $10 = 1 entry
• $25 = 3 entries
• $100 = 15 entries

Raffle runs from February 27th through April 6th. Every entry goes toward a great cause, and every dollar brings you one step closer to hanging a piece of Dead history on your wall.

 

The Music Plays On 

Shakedown St. Louis is both a celebration and a conversation—recognizing how far cannabis has come while acknowledging the work still ahead toward full normalization and social equity. By honoring the Grateful Dead's influence on culture and consciousness, we're reminded that creativity, connection, and courage continue to move society forward. 

 

Cannabis culture has grown the same way the Dead built their community: through shared ritual, collective experience, and a belief that coming together can change minds and transform culture. 

 

Join us this March as we celebrate the music, the art, and the community that continues to inspire generations.