Dead & Company and Playing in the Sand promoter CID Entertainment donated $75,000 to various local charities in Mexico.

Last weekend, the historic Warfield in San Francisco hosted a special two nights in honor of the life and legacy of Jerry Garcia. It is fitting, as the storied 86-year old theater hosted Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band dozens of times and continued to book acts that bring an adventurous music spirit. One of the beloved guitarist and bandleader’s closest collaborators outside of Grateful Dead was organist Melvin Seals.

Becoming a Dead Head was and still is a remarkable thing, much richer and more complex than simply deciding to like a band.  It means becoming part of a community, a family of kindred souls.  It’s about celebration but also about learning – new music forms, whether it’s obscure blues or chanting monks or … everything.

Fans may be rejoicing that there are four more nights left to go this weekend for the all-star group billed as "Oteil and Friends,” who made their debut performance last night at Port Chester’s The Capitol Theatre.

If you’ve seen Dead and Company even once, you most likely have witnessed the infectious energy and enthusiasm radiating outward from the band’s bassist, Oteil Burbridge. It’s hard not to take notice of, or even have impacted you profoundly. Whether he’s playing beside members of The Allman Brothers, The Grateful Dead, or JRAD, there’s never a time when Oteil Burbridge isn’t smiling or dancing around in place on stage, compelled by and compelling others to the sublime music he’s making. 

There are a few things that most Deadheads can relate to come the holidays: Christmas decorations with LOTS of colorful lights, sitting around with friends and family listening to past shows and reminiscing about the good times, getting to wear your Grateful Dead ugly sweater when its actually appropriate to do so, making plans for your New Year’s run, and Jerry Garcia.  Maybe it’s because the a Dead/JGB show always feels a little like Christmas; maybe it’s all of the Christmas songs like “Run Run Rudolph”, “Jingle Bells”, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”, or “Christmas Time’s A-Comin”; o

Want to come see Dead & Company in Mexico? Just donate $10 or more to Headcount, REVERB, and other Dead Family Orgs, and you could win a trip to Mexico to see the band at the sold-out "Playing In the Sand" Experience! AND if you donate in the next 24 hours, you’ll also be entered to win a James Perse surfboard signed by the band!

Southern California Deadheads will be treated to a Jerry Garcia/Grateful Dead musical celebration A Merry Jerry Christmas hosted by legendary Jerry Garcia Band keyboardist Melvin Seals, Furthur/Golden Gate Wingmen guitarist John Kadlecik and bassist Oteil Burbridge from Dead & Company/Allman Brothers Band/Aquarium Rescue Unit at The Fox Theater in Pomona, CA.  The power trio will be joined by special guests and will include special performances from up-and-coming LA-Jamband The Higgs and longtime LA-based Grateful Dead stalwarts Cubensis.  Proceeds fr