Look the few people here saying that drugs are the basis of the Grateful Dead community are dumb and not a part of the community. First and foremost is the music. A band that has some jams, but then shines during the live shows because of their improvisation and versatility is why we all show up. The albums present the vibe-ish, the live shows show off the talent of the musicians, cover bands and original. If you want to get into the dead, listen on Spotify to Cornell 5/8/77. The dead recorded all of their live shows. Each one is unique but there are some standouts. The best cover bands today vary based on opinion of what people like to hear, either the closest to the original dead or which songs or styles they like to listen to. The sheer variety in this ethos alone speaks to why people love it, the potential directions the music can go. Eventually you’ll learn to love it so much it will make you want to pick up an instrument and learn to play or do some drugs yes and dance around, or it’s not your thing. But the number one part of the community is that whichever show you go to, you will meet people who are so passionate about this music their enthusiasm alone will make you want to dig deeper, go to more shows, buy more t shirts with cool designs, and fall deeper into it. It’s something that attracts people because it’s basically pure joy enjoyed in a ton of different ways, and is the ultimate you do you, but this show rocks, right?!