SerpApi.Org
Calling all Deadheads to San Francisco for the 24th annual Jerry Day celebration.
The nine-day commemoration of all things Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead - known informally as "the Days Between" - explores the guitarist's profound influence on San Francisco and American pop culture from Aug. 1, his birthday in 1942, to Aug. 9, the anniversary of his death in 1995.
Check out these special events, concerts, exhibitions and tributes happening citywide.
‘Forever Grateful' Exhibitions
The first of two landmark Grateful Dead exhibitions fills both floors of the Haight Street Art Center with music and art, featuring more than 400 works chronicling the Grateful Dead's journey from 1965-95. Items include paintings, photographs, records, instruments and rare ephemera - complete with a fully functional ‘Wall of Sound' replica, boasting 500 speakers.
Its companion interactive installation, "Forever Grateful/Golden Gate Park," transforms the County Fair Building's Hall of Flowers into an immersive environment anchored by Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters' Furthur bus and Jerry Garcia's BMW.
Created with Third Rail Projects and local artists, the Golden Gate Park show features large-scale projections, puppetry, hands-on activities and psychedelic performances, with larger spectacles staged roughly once an hour. Together, the exhibitions offer complementary ways to experience the music, art and community legacy of Garcia and the Grateful Dead.
Forever Grateful: Noon-6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. Through Sept. 20. Haight Street Art Center, 215 Haight St., S.F. • Forever Grateful/Golden Gate Park: Opens Sept. 5. Through Oct. 25. San Francisco County Fair Building Hall of Flowers, 1199 9th Ave., Golden Gate Park, S.F. 415-363-6150. www.haightstreetart.org
Matt Lazarus & Friends
Bay Area guitarist and singer Matt Lazarus, who has performed with Stu Allen & Mars Hotel and other local jam-band favorites, leads a tribute to the Grateful Dead's music with an emphasis on Bob Weir's songs and style.
8 p.m. Wednesday, July 29. $15-$25, age 12 and under free. Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. 510-525-5099. www.ashkenaz.com
Young & Dead with Mason's Children
Two local Grateful Dead-inspired bands team up for an evening double bill featuring freewheeling jams, deep cuts and psychedelic improvisation in the Lower Haight venue.
7 p.m. Thursday, July 30. $15-$23.64. The Faight Collective, 475 Haight St., S.F. www.thefaight.com
The Music Never Stops: A Rex Foundation Benefit and Tribute
Dark Star Orchestra headlines a two-night Rex Foundation benefit celebrating the Grateful Dead's enduring live music tradition. Friday's program opens with Melvin Seals & JGB with the Jazz Mafia Horn Section.
On Saturday, Jerry Garcia's birthday, Dark Star Orchestra recreates the Grateful Dead's Aug. 1, 1973, concert at Roosevelt Stadium. Peter Rowan and the Sam Grisman Project round out the bill with music from Old & In the Way and more.
Friday, July 31-Saturday, Aug. 1. Greek Theatre, 2001 Gayley Road, UC Berkeley. www.darkstarorchestra.net
24th annual official Jerry Day Celebration
Get ready for a full day of live music and family fun set in and around McLaren Park's Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. The celebration of Garcia, the Grateful Dead and their musical legacy is scheduled to include Melvin Seals & JGB with the Jazz Mafia, Stu Allen & the Mars Hotel and Spencer Krenz, with special guests to be announced.
This year marks the first anniversary of the dedication of Jerry Garcia Street and McLaren Park's milestone centennial celebration. Founded by Friends of JGA in 2002 as a community fundraiser to repair a neighborhood playground, Jerry Day has grown into an annual celebration of Garcia's roots in the Excelsior, where he spent part of his childhood. A new all-ages area sponsored by Sunset Mercantile offers games, arts and crafts and other activities throughout the day.
After the daytime event, the event's annual Jerry Nite keeps the music going with after-hours live music from 5 to 10 p.m. at locations around the Excelsior district. Participating venues include the Halfway Club, Tala Wine, Recovery Room, the Check In, Ocean Ale House and Rocks Den. Scheduled performers include Koobi Fora, Josh Gelfand Band, Qvevri Punchdown, Jerry & the Jerks, Josh Brough, Dead and Breakfast and Blu Egyptian.
11:30 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1. Free. Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, McLaren Park, 45 John F. Shelley Drive, S.F. www.jerryday.org
Jerry Garcia's Birthday Art and Music Show
Celebrate Garcia's birthday with Keystone Revisited, led by Tony Saunders, performing music associated with Garcia and Merl Saunders' landmark "Live at Keystone" recordings. Actor- musician Max Gail opens the show.
An accompanying fundraiser exhibits 40 works by Garcia, available for purchase, with sales supporting the nonprofit Sausalito arts center.
5-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1. $35. Sausalito Center for the Arts, 750 Bridgeway, Sausalito. www.sausalitocenterforthearts.org/jerry-garcia-birthday-art-music
Days Between: A Celebration of the Life of Jerry Garcia
A week-long celebration honors the musician's life, music and legacy. It is set to include a birthday party for Jerry with Big Brother and the Holding Company, a matinee by local rockers Moonalice and drummer Brian Melvin's Grateful Jam. There will be free Ben & Jerry's "Cherry Garcia" ice cream for the First Tuesday Mill Valley Art Walk hosted by Big Steve Parish and a Jerry Garcia Band tribute from See What Love Can Do, performing JGB repertoire rounding out the event series.
8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and Thursday, Aug. 1-2 and 6; 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2; 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. 415-388-3850. www.sweetwatermusichall.org
KC Turner Cookout Concert Series: Jerry Garcia Birthday Celebration
Guitarist and singer Stu Allen leads Mars Hotel and guest artists through favorites from the Grateful Dead catalog in an outdoor celebration of Garcia's music, spirit and improvisational legacy.
5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2. $40-$49.22. Hopmonk, 224 Vintage Way, Novato. www.kcturnerpresents.com
Blue Note Napa Summer Sessions: Joe Russo's Almost Dead
Enjoy an evening of Grateful Dead tunes at a live show set in the Napa resort's grassy, outdoor plaza. Expect uptempo, jazz-infused interpretations of both well-known and more obscure gems from the Dead's wide-ranging repertoire from the band, featuring drummer Joe Russo (Further), keyboardist Marco Benevento, bassist Dave Dreiwitz (Ween), guitarists Tom Hamilton and Scott Metzger.
5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2. $88.70-$124.25. Meritage Resort, 850 Bordeaux Way, Napa. www.bluenotejazz.com/napa
Jerry Week at the Great American Music Hall
Poolside Presents hosts three nights celebrating Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. Melvin Seals & JGB open the series Sunday, Aug. 2, with special guest saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr.
On Aug. 7-8, all-star ensemble Axial Tilt - featuring Stu Allen, Elliott Peck and Charlie Musselwhite - performs five hours each night: one acoustic set and two electric sets, with no songs repeated.
8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2 and Aug. 7-8. $65-$375.11. Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell St., S.F. 415-885-0750. www.gamh.com
Grateful First Fridays: Playing The Dead
The local, Dead-inspired ensemble leads this monthly Haight-Ashbury jam session celebrating the music of the Grateful Dead. Special guests drummer Jerry Saracini, bassist Jen Rund and others join the band for an evening of improvisation, dancing and community.
8 p.m. Aug. 7. Free, $20 suggested donation; 21 and older. 7:30 p.m. O'Reilly's Pub, 1840 Haight St., S.F. www.gd60haight.com
Subscribe
There’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.Read this story on sfchronicle.com
