This year marks the 30th anniversary of the local Grateful Dead tribute band, The Deadbeats.
“It’s hard to really believe that 30 years have passed. We’ve been together as long as the Grateful Dead were together. It’s kind of mindblowing that we’ve been able to entertain people and have a good time doing it for 30 years,” said Gary Campus (Band Beyond Description), original and current drummer for The Deadbeats.
It all started back on August 4, 1994, during an open mic night in Nevada City’s renowned Mad Dogs and Englishmen Pub, on Spring Street behind the historic National Hotel.
Filled to capacity with crowds lined up outside the building, the original members knew they were onto something. They had tapped into an audience hungry for all the feels and that beloved sound that captures the essence of a Grateful Dead concert.
“It came together organically. We all knew a few songs each,” said Guitarist Tom Menig.
Always a “bluegrass guy,” Menig remembers being a Deadhead for a minute during his formative years in high school.
The Deadbeats love to jam, faithfully playing the Dead’s songbook with a balance of improvisation and honoring the legacy of the songs while tapping into the joy of a live Nevada County audience. They’ve played music festivals all over Northern California. Though the days of road trips and partying hard are mostly behind them, they still know how to have a good time.
“It’s the most fun I can have. I love playing music with those guys,” said Peter Wilson, a guitarist who replaced Paul Kamm (Achilles Wheel) and plays alongside frontman Tom Menig.
“The Deadbeats were always inspired by the spirit of the music without being a wax museum copy of the Grateful Dead. We just have fun, which was kind of their mantra anyway,” said Menig who toured the globe for a number of years with his singer-songwriter daughter Alela Diane and has performed with a number of local bands including Buckstar.
Tom Menig’s brother, Eric Menig plays bass. All talented musicians in their own right, they are joined by Rob Kopp and Gary Campus (drums), Glenn Tucker (keyboards) and Jenn Knapp (vocals).
“That’s one of the things that makes The Deadbeats so good is we put in the work and play the songs right,” said Wilson.
Jerry Bash returns to Pioneer Park August 3
On August 3, The Deadbeats will be the headliner band at the 28th Anniversary Jerry Bash, a one-day Grateful Dead-inspired family-friendly outdoor music festival produced by Miners Foundry Cultural Center along Deer Creek in Nevada City’s Pioneer Park.
“The word on the street is it’s going to be a party,” said Campus.
Members of The Deadbeats started the Jerry Bash in 1996 as a free concert in Pioneer Park. Over the years, band members have rotated but the core group continues with great shows and big crowds. All the past members of The Deadbeats have been invited to join in on the stage during this year’s Jerry Bash.
“It’s going to be epic,” said Wilson.
This year’s family-friendly event packed with live music, food, libations, art and vendors celebrates the life and music of Jerry Garcia, whose birthday is August 1. Garcia died in 1995 at the age of 53 and would have been 82 this year. Rolling Stone called Garcia “the unlikeliest of pop stars and the most reticent of cultural icons.”
Special guests during The Deadbeats show include Paul Kamm (Achilles Wheel) a beloved local guitar player who was in the original band. Alumni drummers from The Deadbeats 30 year history will also be joining for a much-anticipated drum jam and nod to Mickey Hart and his group, Planet Drum.
“I’m happy this is an opportunity to add to that phenomenon and give the audience something they don’t get to see. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a section of the show tailored to featuring drummers,” said Campus.
Other artists on the bill include: Kelly Flemming, Kellie Garmire & Friends playing The Roots of the Grateful Dead, Caltucky Remembering Old & in the Way and Garcia/Grisman Wolf Jett playing Cosmic Mountain Music.
“Nothing’s more fun than playing music for your friends with your friends,” said Menig.
Laura Petersen is a freelance writer living in Grass Valley. This article was written on behalf of Miners Foundry Cultural Center. Contact her at laurapetersenmedia@gmail.com
