Grateful Dead—Sphinx Theatre Soundcheck, Giza, Egypt, September 13, 1978

w/Hamza El-Din

One of the highest moments in Grateful Dead history came on September 16, 1978, in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza, when a rhythm and percussion choir led by Mickey Hart’s friend, Hamza El Din, opened for the band’s second set by playing his song Ollin Arageed. As they sang and jammed, the moon went into eclipse and then, one by one, the band members drifted onto the stage and joined them, eventually segueing into Fire on the Mountain.

The psycho-spiritual nature of the Egypt trip undoubtedly contributed to the Dead’s identity and mystique. On a larger scale, they were not there just to perform; they were there to record an album, harness the ancient energy of the location, and possibly levitate Pharaoh Khufu's pyramid. The journey itself was symbolic of so much more. The event represented a connection to a past the participants could just barely glimpse. A relationship to ancient humans. A sacred place on the planet, and the planet’s place in the universe. All that metagalactic stuff.

In true Grateful Dead fashion, the sound crew attempted to wire up an elaborate complex of audio equipment at the center of the Great Pyramid that would serve as an echo FX for the concerts. Bill Graham provided technical advice deep inside the king's chamber, while Kesey, in full prankster form, freely distributed a specially procured liquid Owsley. The stage was set for the historic shows. At the least, it was a perfect framework for a cosmic wild goose chase.

Along with the soundboard recordings and shaky video footage of the three shows (remastered and delivered with fun packaging via the official Rocking The Cradle: Egypt 1978 box set), there exists a very unusual field tape of the Dead, Hamza El-Din, and a handful of drummers rehearsing El-Din’s Ollin Arageed. What's striking about the tape is the immediacy and beauty of the music. It has a timeless, otherworldly feel. The vibe, ambling like the Iaro sediments of the Nile, is at once stirring, holy, and unfettered by the windy desert conditions and ambient limitations of the recording device. The music begins with just Garcia at first, weaving notes through clapping/singing. The tune is soothing and hypnotic, a balm for the ears. The other 10 tracks on the recording feature El Din’s opening set the following night, leading rhythms on the oud. The playing, a rich fusion of Arabic and Nubian sounds, is entrancing and deeply satisfying. It's easy to see why Garcia loved collaborating with Hamza and visiting his sonic universe.

The Dead playing African music is undoubtedly one of the best things to come out of the Egypt junket. Plug in some good headphones and give it a listen. Very heady music.

Audience Recording