#117850  by Dwarf Rat
 
My band plays a mix of Dead,Hot Tuna, Ry Cooder, Delaney and Bonnie,Taj Mahal, mostly older stuff. Our audiences dig us because we are good musicians who practice hard to get it right. Our bass player learned the tunes as we went along and couldn't be happier.

Our singer has a side gig here he plays Beatles' songs.

I play lots of DADGAD tunes I wrote over the last 20 years for whoever wants that kind of music.

We just let it flow and let it grow.
 #118040  by Todd GT5
 
Great time at last sunday's gig. It was a house warming party for our two biggest fans with about 50 people in attendance. I noticed early in our set when we played "Good Lovin" with the early Grateful Dead style 70's intro, a couple took notice and enthusiastically got up and danced. They also seemed to dig our Alman Bros. and Santana tunes. So near the end of the night I got the band to play 'Touch Of Grey". Wow what fun and everyone there got up and danced. It was truely a special moment for me, trying to play Philishly and having the strong connection with the crowd. I even got the band to agree to add more Dead tunes soon.

-Todd
 #118068  by mgbills
 
Here's another cool aspect of Dead music...
It's fun. It free's people. Magically even dorks aren't dorks while doing the Great JerrySeaweed Dance. It can have great levity. It can be cathartic.
(Done preaching to the choir.)

When I hear Dead music, I want to dance. When I play Dead music, it's mystical.

So...my hippy-dippy point is...find tunes with levity...make your listeners want to dance...dancing & partying people attract other dancing/partying people. I want a room full of scantily clad hippies whirling about. I don't much care for a room full of dudes in mall-bought Harley (with bandana's) sitting/standing screaming "FUUUUUUKKKK Yea...FREEBIRD."

Although a few are always welcome.
M