Here is the latest news from David Gans, producer and host of the Grateful Dead Hour.
Grateful Dead Hour no. 1108
Support for the Grateful Dead Hour comes this week from: The Jerry Garcia Family LLC, presenting Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 2: Let It Rock. This is the first edition of the Jerry Garcia Band, recorded in November 1975 with the great Nicky Hopkins on keyboards. And from Grateful Dead Productions, announcing Road Trips Vol. 3, No. 1, the complete show from December 28, 1979, with Brent Mydland at the keyboards. More information on both of these new releases, sample tracks, discussion board and more online at dead.net. Confessions of a Dead Head, the new book by Starburst Commander, veteran of nearly 300 Dead shows, written strictly from a fan’s perspective; an emotional and heartfelt journey into the music that defined an era and continues to define a philosophy that will not go away. Available at confessionsofadeadhead.com Grateful Dead Opoly – the authentic, band-authorized board game. Created with input from Bob Weir and Steve Parish and featuring Tim Truman’s incredible artwork, Grateful Dead Opoly lets you land at Red Rocks, advance to the Mars Hotel and more. From Discovery Bay Games. Grateful Dead Opoly is available now at Barnes & Noble, barnesandnoble.com and dead.net. Backbeat Books, presenting Relix, The Book: The Grateful Dead Experience, Grateful Dead Gear: The Band’s Instruments, Sound Systems, and Recording Sessions from 1965 to 1995, Woodstock Vision (featuring an introduction by Jerry Garcia) and the Levon Helm Midnight Ramble book. All titles are available at backbeatbooks.com and wherever books are sold.
Kreutzmann et al NYE (etc) in Hawaii
CHRIS BERRY ANNOUNCES THREE SHOWS IN HAWAII TO RING IN 2010
CHRIS BERRY from PANJEA WILL BE JOINED BY
BILL KREUTZMANN from THE GRATEFUL DEAD
MICHAEL KANG from THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT
and Patrice Blanchard on bass ( Panjea, Amy Winehouse, Angelique Kidjo )
Chris Berry and Bill Kreutzmann will be jammin’ into the New Year in the state they call home- Hawaii
On December 31st they will play a very intimate show with Michael Kang and Patrice Blanchard on the island of Kaua’i. Only a lucky 200 people get to have a Champagne toast with the band to welcome in 2010.
Show details are as follows:
Thursday, December 31st @ 10:00pm (Doors @ 8:00pm)
TAPAZ LOUNGE in Kapaa on the island of Kaua’i
Tickets are presale $50 / $60 at the door (Champagne toast and Pupus included)
Ages 21+ Limited tickets available at www.dovepresents.com
For more information call (808) 635-5556
For New Year’s Day, the party moves to Maui at the Pauwela Cannery.
Show details are as follows:
Friday, January 1st @ 8:00 pm Maui (doors at 7:30 PM)
Voyage East 375 West Kuiaha- Haiku Maui
Tickets are presale $35 / $40 at the door
Ages 21+ Limited tickets available
Online tickets at www.dovepresents.com
For more information please call (808) 635-5556
On the 2nd, catch up with the celebration at the Big Island town of Pahoa – at the historic Akebono Theater. Chris Berry really wanted to play for his new neighborhood in Hawaii and it will be a exciting finish to his first Hawaiian island tour.
Show details are as follows:
Saturday, January 2nd @ 7:30 PM (Doors at 7:00 PM)
Akebono Theater Located on Highway 130 in Pahoa Big Island, HI 96778
Tickets are presale $25 / $30 at the door
Ages 21+ limited tickets available
Online tickets at www.dovepresents.com
More info at 808-635-5556
ALL SHOWS produced by DOVE PRESENTS and freshjamradio.com
“My Improvised Life”
This afternoon I spoke to the Rotary Club in Oakland. My connection to the Grateful Dead was the hook, and my theme was “My Improvised Life.” I recorded it on my iPhone, if you’d care to hear it. It’s about 27 minutes.
Thanks to C.J. Hirschfield (executive director of Children’s Fairyland) for inviting me!
Interview with the Starburst Commander
Ten-minute interview with the Starburst Commander, author of Confessions of a Dead Head. From the 12/9/09 Dead to the World.
It’s a wonderful book, a quick read (under 100 pages) but loaded with color and soul.
Also please see my previous post, which includes a nice excerpt.
Johnny Downer (1971-2009)
Johnny Downer, a brilliant guitarist and a sweet, gentle guy, died in Mexico the other night with his guitar in his hands.
I got the word yesterday from Pete Cartwright, who set up a gig for Johnny and me in Sebastopol a few years back (one of my favorites of that year). Bandmate Tim Sawyer called tonight and gave me some more details.
He had had some heart issues that he didn’t get help with, preferring to dismiss them as “allergies” etc. In light of my own recent health history, this makes the loss even more painful. I hadn’t seen Johnny in a while – not since Free Peoples played on my show on 10/1/08. If had known he was ignoring his health, I would have sought him out and kicked his ass in the direction of a doctor.
Free Peoples was just about my favorite Northern California band of the last several years.
Here’s “China Doll” from 10/16/05 in Sebastopol, Johnny and me. I wish we had played together more often.