“Don’t be a jerk! Don’t do anything that Jerry Garcia would not approve of…” is Luke Scott’s advice for attending a concert, “which leaves you kind of wide open, but on the hook for treating other with kindness and consideration.” And as the Founder of Tourbus and a loyal Dead & Co show attendee, we trust his word.
Tourbus is a small side project and boutique business run out of a small purple office in back of Luke’s marketing firm in Bridgeport. Tourbus’ office culture feels like, “loud music, strong coffee, hoppy beer, boxes, pencils, stickers, rubber stamps, vintage cassette tapes, candy, action figures, and labels.”
Luke, his wife and their sons sell tee-shirts and sweatshirts that bear Grateful Dead inspired designs. The designs are initially by Luke, and then fine-tuned by illustrators they work closely with. Some designs are interpretations of their time spent enjoying the music and trading cassette tapes, and others are visual representations of some of their favorite songs. Check out the Box of Rain Tee and the Fire on the Mountain Tee.
Every box that makes its way to a customer is a little bit different - not unlike every Dead & Co. show. “Rolling up to a show, and not knowing what songs are going to be played, in what order… The whole approach to playing improvised rock and roll, to sharing an experience where the band and the audience are actually putting on a show together—that’s what sucked me in.” Luke puts a touch of improvised merchandising into Tourbus. When a customer orders Tourbus apparel, the box is packed its own little weird way and includes extras like stickers, buttons, candy, cassette tapes, and pencils for rewinding.
Luke saw his first Grateful Dead show at Madison Square Garden in 1988, and from then he was hooked. He describes himself as ‘born in New Haven with a Haight Ashbury heart’. His commitment to the music hasn’t wavered since his first show. He’s created Tourbus as a culmination of his passions and a reminder that you really can do what you love.
As the summer continues Luke has some pretty good advice for your next show, “wear sunscreen, know where you parked... Drink lots of water, eat food. Drink beer too, if that’s your thing. Imbibe, all around. Just be safe and balanced. Listen to the music, and dance your ass off.”