The Garcia Project at The Black Box — A Night of Healing, Heart, and Pure Jerry Magic

Mik Bondy | The Garcia Project | photos by Russell Levine

That was the scene when The Garcia Project rolled into Boca Black Box on a Thursday night in Boca Raton.

They didn’t treat it like “just another gig.” They treated it like a chance to open a little doorway back to the Jerry Garcia Band years — not through impersonation, but by leaning all the way into the feel of those nights. The warmth. The looseness. The sense that the music was meant to help you breathe a little easier.

Set One: The Slow, Sweet Unwind

They opened with “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” and the whole room softened like someone turned the gravity down a notch. Folks who didn’t know each other were smiling at each other like they did. Classic JGB effect.

“Run for the Roses” had that gentle lift — the kind that doesn’t announce itself but catches you anyway.

“Like a Road” landed deep; you could practically feel people letting go of whatever they carried in with them.

“The Maker” was gorgeous and hushed, the kind of song that drops the noise level in the room without anyone asking.

“My Sisters and Brothers” — well, that one is always a unifier. It just is. Voices joined in, some loud, some barely above a whisper, all right on time.

By the time they wrapped the set with “Evangeline,” people weren’t checking their phones or thinking about tomorrow. They were right there. Present. Tuned in. Exactly where they were supposed to be.

Set Two: Joy Turned Loose

Set two kicked the door open with “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,” and suddenly the room felt less like a seated theater and more like a family reunion. People dancing, laughing, spilling into the aisles — pure uplift.

Then they settled into the deep-cut heart of a classic Jerry Garcia Band night:

• “He Ain’t Give You None” — slow, smoky, and soulful.
• “Lay Down Sally” — hips loosened, shoulders dropped, grins everywhere.
• “Money Honey” — all swagger and fun, the band clearly enjoying themselves.
• “That Lucky Old Sun” — a full-body exhale of a performance, sung like a prayer.

And then came the closer, “Tangled Up in Blue,” the kind of finale that feels like someone opened all the windows in the room at once. A blast of color, energy, and freedom. Total release. People were dancing like they’d been waiting all week for that one song.

The Band: Not an Imitation — an Understanding

What makes this lineup hit so hard is that nobody onstage is trying to “be” Jerry or anyone else. They’re clearly fans first, and that love shows up in how they play.

Mik Bondy — guitar, vocals
Mik’s tone shimmered without ever feeling forced. You can tell he’s spent time chasing those JGB textures, but he never disappears into impression. He understands why Jerry played the way he did, and that’s the difference. His solos danced, sighed, and laughed — sometimes in the same phrase.

Kat Walkerson — vocals
Kat’s voice feels like the music is getting a hug. She doesn’t just hit harmonies; she wraps them around the room. There were moments where her vocals lifted the songs straight into that churchy, goosebump zone Jerry Garcia Band fans know so well.

David Alderman — bass, vocals
Deep, round tone and melodic lines that never got in the way but were always worth listening to. David held the whole night together with that classic JGB pocket — the kind that makes your ribs vibrate in the nicest way.

Elliott Jackson Scott Rauch — keyboards
From gospel swells to little flickers of psychedelic color, Elliot’s keys were all over the emotional core of the show. He found that sweet spot between support and sparkle, adding warmth and soul without crowding the vocals.

Tommy Nagy — drums
Tommy played with that loose-tight Jerry Band pulse: relaxed, but absolutely in the pocket. Never flashy for the sake of it. Always right where the song needed him. His touch kept everything moving forward while still leaving plenty of room for the music to breathe.

Together, they didn’t just run through a setlist. They made the music feel alive.

Why This Band Hits the Heart So Hard

On paper, you could say it’s about “authenticity” — the setlist recreations, the tones, the arrangements. And sure, all of that is there. But that’s not the part people were talking about in the lobby afterward.

What makes The Garcia Project so special is that they remember what those Jerry Garcia Band shows were actually for: joy, release, comfort, and connection. A place to put your worries down for a couple hours and pick up something lighter.

People didn’t file out of Boca Black Box last night — they drifted. They lingered. They hugged. Some wiped their eyes. Some floated out the door. You could feel the difference between a band that’s performing at you and one that’s playing for you.

Last night was the latter.

For anyone who misses those Jerry Garcia Band nights — or anyone who never got to catch one — this was as close as you’re likely to get in 2025: not just the sound, but the feeling. The healing. The sense that, for a couple of hours, all was right in your little corner of the world.

That’s more than entertainment.

That’s why this music still matters. And that’s why The Garcia Project keeps bringing people back.