The spirit of the Grateful Dead community is alive at the Ardmore Music Hall this winter! The mainstay venue for Philadelphia area Deadheads and more will play host to several Dead-oriented shows throughout the late winter and early spring including Splintered Sunlight, Voodoo Dead ft. Steve Kimock, Grahame Lesh and Cris Jacobs’ Philly Shakedown, and more!
First on the calendar of events on January 23 will be a jam-packed night in celebration of Robert Hunter, the longtime poet and lyrical partner to Jerry Garcia. Headlining the night will be performances by JP & Pappy Biondo of Cabinet, Sean Hoots of Hoots & Hellmouth, Cris Jacobs, and Chris Kasper among a slew of local players including Hezekiah Jones, Mason Porter, Nik Greeley, and Chelsea ViaCava among others, and house band Dead Friends featuring Mikey B, Mike Caroto, Craig Privett, Dean Gorfti and Daniel S. Bower).
The following week on February 5 will be the return of Voodoo Dead, an exciting supergroup project featuring lauded jam guitarist Steve Kimock of Zero and RatDog fame, accompanied by heavyweight funk bassist George Porter Jr of The Meters, guitarist Al Schnier of Moe., Jeff Chimenti of Dead & Company on keys and John Morgan Kimock of Mike Gordon Band on the drums. With each member of the band steeped to the max in the Dead’s catalogue and the fact that Kimock was hailed by Jerry Garcia as being his favorite guitarist, there’s no stone left unturned when Voodoo Dead takes the stage.
No strangers to the stage at 23 East Lancaster Avenue, the Philadelphia area’s premier Grateful Dead tribute Splintered Sunlight will headline their second show of the decade at the Ardmore Music Hall on February 8th.
Closing out the winter will be two very special shows featuring a few more heavy names from the Dead world. Fans of Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band are in for a treat on February 27 when Grahame Lesh and Cris Jacobs host the Philly Shakedown. Bringing in a dual lineup of Lesh and Jacobs supplemented by members of RatDog, The Terrapin Family Band and Midnight North, the Philly Shakedown is locked and loaded to bring a fresh take on the Grateful Dead lexicon.
On March 8, the keepers of the Jerry Garcia Band flame in Melvin Seals & JGB take Ardmore to Grateful Church. Marking their first tour with their new addition of guitarist John Kadlecik of post-Garcia Grateful Dead incarnation Furthur, fans should expect a new level of energy and improvisation that should make JGB’s return to 23 East a cannot miss show!
Tickets for all shows are on sale now at www.ardmoremusic.com
