TURN ON YOUR LOVE LIGHT –
June 26, 2024 – There are various groups in the jam scene, the most prominent being a group among Deadheads dubbed the Wharf Rats. Launched in the ’80s, it was named after a fictional down-and-out drunk with hope to someday get a fresh start.
The Wharf Rats began as a few members of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, though the group welcomes all pathways to sobriety.
Although they’re not affiliated with a 12-Step program, many Wharf Rats are also members of such programs. Like Deadheads, Wharf Rats embrace all kinds, with kindness.
Creating a safe space in the counter-culture that is the Dead scene, Wharf Rats describe themselves as “a group of friends sharing a common bond, providing support, information and some traction in an otherwise slippery environment.”
And thankfully, they’re easy to find and access. Simply look for yellow flags or balloons, and they will usually lead to a Wharf Rats information table. Other Wharf Rats will also often be sporting yellow stickers (and handing them out to anyone who’d like to be noticed), so that a friend in recovery is always just within reach. Find the Wharf Rats at set break for an uplifting meeting.
Fortunately, the yellow balloon concept is becoming a universal theme for sobriety safe zones in every part of the music scene and even in some sports environments. A quick social media search can locate like-minded friends in recovery. Don’t be afraid to ask for additional resources, especially as many groups remain anonymous to protect their powerful principles against outside corruption.
