Here is the latest news from David Gans, producer and host of the Grateful Dead Hour.
Grateful Dead Hour #1036
Support for the Grateful Dead Hour comes this week from Roy Schneider and the Roadside Turtle Rescue. Friendly, funny, smart American songs in a down-home style. On CDBaby.com and royschneider.com
New music on the tunes page
I had a nice set at a ski resort in Idaho yesterday: Brundage Mountain Jam II. Beautiful day in a splendid spot. Donna Jean and the Tricksters were the headliners. Klyph Black joined me for about half my set, and Tom Circosta sang harmony on a couple of songs.
Klyph and I played a really really good “Bird Song” together. Rather than make him play with the machine throughout, I used the loop in a different way: grabbing a bit of music and then building on it for a while, then deleting it and starting something new. The result was a really nice jam with several peaks.
This performance and many others are archived on the tunes page.
Dead Symphony in Baltimore 8/1
Associated Press story in today’s San Francisco Chronicle:
Honoring the Dead – with a symphony
Excerpt:
….”Dead Symphony” is more than just pop songs arranged for an orchestra – it’s an honest-to-goodness, 12-movement symphony by a respected classical composer that twists the Dead songs it’s inspired by in adventurous directions.
The symphony had a gestation period that inevitably recalls that most quoted of Dead lyrics: “What a long, strange trip it’s been.” Atlanta recording studio owner Mike Adams first got the idea after a Dead show in 1974. He began pursuing it in earnest after Garcia died in 1995 and got in touch with composer Lee Johnson, who’s also from the Atlanta area.
Johnson wasn’t a Deadhead before he took on the project. He likes to immerse himself in a subject before he starts writing, so he amassed a huge collection of Dead CDs that he carried around in a paper grocery bag. He ended up spending nearly 10 years composing his sixth symphony…
Gans gig update
Greetings!
Here is the schedule as it stands today. I hope to see all of you soon!
Details on these performances at dgans.com/gigs.html
(P.S. The new CD is going to the pressing plant very soon! More on that asap.)
TONIGHT!!!! Wednesday, July 23, 8pm: Rubber Souldiers (DG, Lorin Rowan Chris Rowan, Paul Knight) at the Iron Springs Pub and Brewery, 765 Center Blvd., Fairfax CA. No cover! ironspringspub.com
THIS WEEKEND IN IDAHO!!! Saturday, July 26: Brundage Mountain Jam II, McCall ID. Donna Jean and the Tricksters, Melvin Seals, and more! idarockfest.com
MONDAY IN BERKELEY!! Monday, July 28, 7:30pm: DG, Jim Rothermel, and other musicians play Steve Goodman songs at a signing by Clay Eals, author of Steve Goodman: Facing the Music. Moe’s Books, on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley CA. clayeals.com
Last week I broadcast an interview with Clay Eals and Jim Rothermel. You can read more about the singer and the book, and listen to the archived interview, here.
July 31-August 1: Grateful Garcia Gathering at Legend Valley, near Columbus OH. Melvin Seals, Jackie Greene, Moonalice, Boombox, many more. GratefulGarciaGathering.com
August 2-3: Gathering of the Vibes, Bridgeport CT. Phil Lesh and Friends, Bill Kreutzmann Trio, Donna Jean and the Tricksters, countless more! DG plays Saturday evening on the Solar Stage. gatheringofthevibes.com
Wednesday, August 6, 4-8pm: Fairfax Farmers’ Market, in Bolinas Park, Fairfax CA. Free! Great produce, prepared foods, and crafts, too. marincountyfarmersmarkets.org
Friday, August 8: Poster Room at the Fillmore, San Francisco. Zero on the main stage, DG plays before the show and between sets.
August 9: Private event.
August 14 (tentative) Wildflower Cafe, Bethlehem PA myspace.com/wildflowercafe
August 15-16: A Bear’s Picnic, New Columbia PA. New Riders of the Purple Sage, Melvin Seals & JGB, Moonaice, Donna Jean and the Tricksters, Splintered Sunlight, and more. abearspicnic.com
August 23: private event, San Jose CA
August 29-Sep 1: Grateful Fest at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, Garrettsville OH. Dark Star Orchestra, Keller Williams, emcee Wavy Gravy, and more. nlqp.com
Thursday, September 4: Angelica’s Bistro, Redwood City CA. With Rachel Sedacca. rachelsedacca.com
Thursday, September 18: Puckett’s Grocery, Leiper’s Fork TN
Friday and Saturday, September 19 and 20: Terrapin Hill Harvest Festival, Harrodsburg KY. www.terrapinhillfarm.com/festival/
Saturday, September 27: Private event, North Fork CA
Thursday, October 2: Poster Room at the Fillmore, San Francisco. Dark Star Orchestra on the main stage, DG plays before the show and between sets.
Saturday, October 4: Spuds, Oakland CA
Friday, October 17: Chattanooga TN
Saturday, October 18: House concert near Atlanta GA
Sunday, October 19: afternoon house concert in Tallahassee FL
Monday, October 20, 5pm Central Time: DG plays live on Wildman Steve Radio, based in Auburn AL. wildmansteve.com
Tuesday, October 21: house concert in Birmingham AL.
October 23-26: MagnoliaFest, at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, Live Oak FL. Bill Kreutzmann Trio, Donna the Buffalo, Melvin Seals and JGB, The Duhks, Peter Rowan, many more! magmusic.com
Saturday, November 15: with Mr Smolin at Taix, Los Angeles
Sunday, November 16: afternoon house concert in San Diego CA
Saturday, November 22, 7:30-9:30pm: with Kurt Huget at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland CA
Saturday, December 20, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm: Grand Lake Farmers’ Market, Oakland CA
Saturday, December 27, 7:30-9:30pm: Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland CA
New DG music on the tunes page
I played a street party in my neighborhood yesterday. Here’s a fun half-hour that starts with an original loop piece and then proceeds through three favorite covers.
Brown-Eyed Jersey Girl->
Ship of Fools->
In Another World->
Rocket Man 7/20/08
Lots more music – audio and video – on the tunes page.