Grateful Dead to Delay 3 Concerts at the Forum

The Grateful Dead has agreed to postpone three concerts at the Forum in February to give authorities time to improve security measures in the wake of a fan’s death at the group’s concert last month in the Inglewood facility.

The number of police officers and security guards will be increased outside the Forum at future Grateful Dead concerts. Officials also said that restrictions on camping and selling merchandise in the parking lot will be more stringently enforced, and the concerts will only be held when the nearby Hollywood Park Race Track is closed to prevent fans from parking in the lot there.

Large numbers of fans without tickets gathered outside the Forum and caused a chaotic atmosphere at the concert last month, officials said. Although selling such things as food and T-shirts was banned, fans set up makeshift booths in an adjacent Hollywood Park lot, the officials said.

“What we’re trying to do is handle the carnival-like atmosphere in the parking lot,” said Bob Barsotti, concert manager for Bill Graham Presents, the Grateful Dead’s San Francisco-based promoters.

No dates have been set for future concerts. The Dead received a city permit to perform at the Forum Feb. 9 to 11, but delayed confirming the concert series when a Fountain Valley teen-ager died after a struggle with Inglewood police outside the Forum at a Dec. 10 concert.

Investigations into Patrick Shanahan’s death are being conducted by the FBI, the district attorney and the Inglewood Police Department. An autopsy revealed that Shanahan died as a result of being held in a chokehold and noted that there was a high level of LSD in his blood and bruises over his entire body.

Forum General Manager Claire Rothman said talks held earlier this week among the Grateful Dead, the Forum and representatives of the city and police ended with all parties agreeing that Shanahan’s death was an isolated incident not connected with the rock band. She said no one called for the Dead to be banned from Inglewood.

“They will return,” Rothman said. “Within 1990, there will be a concert.”