There are subwoofers embedded in the seats of Las Vegas’ Sphere , which is part of the reason why Mickey Hart ‘s nightly extended percussion segment, titled simply “Drums,” is one of the clear highlights of Dead & Company’s current 30-show residency at the venue. But that’s not the only great use Hart has been making of low-end frequencies that people can experience when they come in for a show by the Grateful Dead offshoot. Next door to Sphere, at the Venetian resort, a gathering space called Dead Forever is being anchored by an exhibition of dozens of Hart’s paintings.
His method in creating these works is to gather a unique blend of paints and then let very loud speakers make the colors dance. Hart has adopted the term “vibrational expressionism” for this visual artwork, although obviously it applies in some way to everything he does, not least of all to giving Sphere-goers an all-new understanding of what a bottom end can really be. Between Dead & Company’s weekend engagements at Sphere, Hart got on a Zoom call to discuss the pieces he’s put on display at the Venetian as well as his contributions toward blowing Dead fans’ minds for at least one more run across the street.
(Note: this interview was conducted before the death of Celtics legend and Dead superfan Bill Walton, whom Hart celebrated on social media Tuesday as “my best friend — the best friend I ever had.”) Where are you as we speak right now? I’m back home in Northern California n.
