The music of the Grateful Dead is invading the 15th Annual Summer Camp Music Festival! This year the festival will feature a ”Special Series of Daily Performances Honoring 50 Years Of The Grateful Dead” – the perfect way to honor our forefathers, who practically invented our scene over a half century ago.
The culture they founded back then taught the world about freedom of expression through both music and art. To this day the Grateful Dead legacy lives within the musicians that play at Summer Camp because, even 50 years later, their music never stopped.
I think I speak for much of the Summer Camp community when I say I couldn’t be more excited for the reunion of the core 4 this summer at Soldier Field in Chicago, so it was a thrill to see this announcement and Summer Camp’s ticket giveaway for the shows (as well as moe.’s After-Parties at the House of Blues) this Fourth of July Weekend.
Check out all the ways we will be celebrating the Grateful Dead this Memorial Day Weekend at the 15th Annual Summer Camp Music Festival!
Thursday Pre-Party: FLOODWOOD performing a set of Workingman’s Beauty
Floodwood is a progressive string band from Upstate New York consisting of Al and Vinnie of moe., along with Jason Barady, Nick Piccininni, and Zachary Fleitz. This group will kick off Summer Camp’s Grateful Dead celebration by showcasing a string-filled version of classic Grateful Dead tunes from both Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty.
The first was originally released in early 1970, while the latter came out in November of that same year. Both are known for their refined vocal harmonies combined with Robert Hunter’s captivating lyrics. Only 8 tracks deep, Workingman’s Dead was the band’s fifth album and featured songs like “New Speedway Boogie” and “Cumberland Blues.” Then, only five months later, American Beauty got to the heart of the Dead’s legacy with “Friend of the Devil” and “Brokedown Palace.”
Get to the festival on Thursday this year so you don’t this opportunity to hear some Grateful Dead music presented in a very unique way by some pretty stellar musicians. One way or another, you must find a way to catch this set!
Friday, May 22: KELLER WILLIAMS & GRATEFUL GRASS featuring THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS
If you’ve ever seen a Keller show (of any kind), there is a 90% chance you’ve seen him cover a Grateful Dead tune – no matter who he’s performing with, he takes on Dead songs in his own very special way because Keller is now, and forever will be a fan. In fact, the Grateful Dead started Keller’s musical journey and to this day he still weaves their style into every show he plays.
Under the moniker of “Grateful Grass”, Keller performs Grateful Dead songs with a bluegrass twist. This project usually involves a rotating lineup of musicians that often contain Summer Camp favorites like Michael Kang, Jeff Austin, or Allie Kral. It’s basically a jamband supergroup taking on the Dead’s music with only strings!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWUI-FQ5Nsk At this year’s Summer Camp, Keller will be joined by The Infamous Stringsdusters for a performance that is bound to be magical.Saturday, May 23: A performance by JOE RUSSO’S ALMOST DEAD
A few years ago drummer Joe Russo put together a band of some pretty spectacular musicians and started roving the country covering Dead tunes as Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. The group consists of Russo’s other half, keys player Marco Benevento, as well as Tommy Hamilton, the guitarist from American Babies, Dave Dreiwitz, who played the bass in Ween, and guitarist Scott Metzger.
Since their formation, this five piece unit has proven they are not just a cover band, but in fact a jazzy presentation of Dead music that’s strikingly authentic.
But it’s not JRAD’s authenticity that has fans excited – it’s their dedication to improvisation that brings it all together. Their set on Saturday at this year’s Summer Camp is guaranteed to blur the lines of jazz and jam as if The Grateful Dead always intended it to be that way.
Sunday, May 24: MOE.with special guest BRUCE HORNSBY perform a tribute to The Dead
The Grateful Dead series at the 15th Annual Summer Camp Music Festival will culminate on Sunday, May 24 with a very special throw-down hosted by festival headliners moe. and featuring the great Bruce Hornsby.
This keys player has a long, extensive history of playing with the Grateful Dead. In fact, he joined the band for well over 100 shows between 1988 and 1995. He will also be playing with The Dead for their final shows on Fourth of July Weekend in Chicago, joining the “Core 4” and another Summer Camp favorite, Trey Anastasio, to bring the 50 year Dead journey to a close.
“Let there be songs to fill the air.” ~ Ripple
The Grateful Dead’s 50th Anniversary is so much more than the shows at Soldier Field. After all, this band practically invented the live music culture we love so dearly. Therefore, they deserve a never ending party where the music never stops. This summer is all about appreciating and honoring what the Dead have created for us over the years. The artists of Summer Camp have undoubtedly been influenced by their music and will continue to carry the torch that was lit so many years ago.
If you are not familiar with Grateful Dead music, stop everything you are doing and listen to this Spotify playlist!
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