The Grateful Dead were pioneers in the touring world, and while many acts have followed in their footsteps, perhaps none have been able to take those lessons and expand upon them like today's biggest DJs.  They interact directly with their fans, they tour outside of the album cycle, and they provide a brand and experience that exists well outside of the traditional models.  A closer look will reveal that many of the leaders and pioneers in the EDM world are either graduates of the Grateful Dead system (i.e. former employees/involved in the initial innovations) or were Deadheads growing up.