Two Dead-oriented shows await Dead Heads as part of the celebration of Berkeley’s Ashkenaz’s 40th anniversary. On March 7th, Mickey Hart brings his very hot band in, and you know that’ll be seriously mind-bending fun. The second item is a little more... esoteric.
In the Fall of 1963, Jerry Garcia gathered up his friends David Nelson (mandolin) and Eric Thompson (guitar) to form a group called the Black Mountain Boys. They played at the Tangent in Palo Alto and the Offstage in San Jose (which was run by Paul Foster, later a Prankster).
On March 8, 2013, the Black Mountain Boys will return to the stage at the Ashkenaz, with a few changes. Nelson will play guitar and Thompson will play mandolin, the instruments they settled on many years ago. And standing in for Garcia on banjo will be Jerry’s old pal Rick Shubb.(Those of you who read A Long Strange Trip will know that Rick had a very important role in Jerry’s life one day in 1965…). Also playing will be two of the Bay Area’s preeminent bluegrass fiddlers, Paul Shelaskey and Suzy Thompson, and the outstanding bluegrass bassist Paul Knight.
This will be a show for the ages. And you really shouldn’t miss it. Tickets available at www.ashkenaz.com .