Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on December 29, 2025
Pete Sawyer & The Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang with Joe Marcinek Band — Photo credit: Bob Minkin
Few venues are as deeply woven into the fabric of Grateful Dead history as Sweetwater Music Hall. Located in Mill Valley—just a stone’s throw from the Dead’s old Marin County stomping grounds—Sweetwater continues to serve as a gathering place for Deadheads, jam fans, and music lovers of all stripes. As the calendar turns, the nonprofit venue is leaning into that legacy while presenting an impressively diverse run of shows that spans classic rock, bluegrass, jazz, soul, and beyond.
Dead-inspired music takes center stage early in the new year, beginning with Stu Allen bringing Jerry and Dawg Revisited to Sweetwater on Friday, January 2, celebrating the intertwined musical worlds of the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, and David Grisman. That thread continues with pianist Kristina Marinova on Thursday, January 15, offering her unique and deeply felt interpretations of Grateful Dead music, and again on Thursday, January 22, when Pete Sawyer & The Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang, joined by the Joe Marcinek Band, channel the Dead’s spirit of improvisation and exploration.
That lineage extends beyond straight tribute. Bands like Moonalice, New Monsoon, Wolf Jett, and the Alex Skolnick Trio all draw from the same improvisational DNA that the Grateful Dead helped bring into the mainstream—making Sweetwater’s winter calendar feel less like a genre showcase and more like a living, breathing continuation of a musical philosophy.
Alongside those Dead-adjacent offerings, Sweetwater’s upcoming listings reflect its long-standing mission to present all genres and nurture community. From New Year’s Eve with The Monophonics to bluegrass stalwarts Special Consensus, from youth performance programs to jazz, funk, Americana, and tribute acts, the room remains as eclectic and welcoming as ever.
Sweetwater Music Hall is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization. Established in 1972, the venue presents live music across all genres while cultivating creativity, nurturing talent, and making the arts accessible to the community. Doors open one hour prior to showtime. Learn more, become a member, or make a donation at sweetwatermusichall.org/donate.
Sweetwater Music Hall
19 Corte Madera Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941
415-388-3850 | All Ages | Wheelchair Accessible
sweetwatermusichall.org
Contact: info@sweetwatermusichall.org
Upcoming Listings (selected highlights)
Friday, January 2
Stu Allen brings Jerry and Dawg Revisited (Grateful Dead / Jerry Garcia / David Grisman)
8 pm – Tickets
Thursday, January 15
Kristina Marinova plays the music of the Grateful Dead (Piano)
8 pm – Tickets
Thursday, January 22
Pete Sawyer & The Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang, with Joe Marcinek Band (Grateful Dead)
8 pm – Tickets
Sunday, January 4
Early: Moonalice Sunday Matinee (Rock / Psychedelic Soul) – 1 pm
Later: Ray Charles Project – 8 pm
Saturday, February 7
New Monsoon with F.A.T. Betty (Jam / Bluegrass)
8 pm – Tickets
Listings are updated weekly—be sure to check the latest schedule directly via Sweetwater Music Hall’s official channels on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
