Bear was the road manager for The Grateful Dead. He met the band when Kesey had them come to an Owsley Acid test party to try a new batch of LSD. Bear's technical interests helped the band's interest in electronic, acoustic and mystical properties of sound. He became their sound engineer. He was one of the first to mix sound live, and in stereo, and achieved a high sound quality. He often recorded live tapes behind his mixing board. They developed their own high-fidelity audio components and sound-systems for their performances. The bands tours evolved around a gigantic "Wall of Sound", with stacks of Stanley-designed equipment. His expert changes meant fans of the Grateful Dead could enjoy the full sonic range of the concert even in the outdoors.