Ashkenaz, Berkeley’s beloved non-profit music and dance community hub, rolls into summer with a joyful calendar that mirrors the venue’s 52-year mission of cultural exchange and rhythmic exploration. From Balkan folk dances to honky-tonk two-step, Ashkenaz’s wooden dance floor will stay in constant motion—yet it is the venue’s deep connection to the spirit of the Grateful Dead that takes center stage over the next five weeks.
Deadheads can circle five can’t-miss nights. The celebration begins Friday, June 13, when Stu Allen & Mars Hotel unfurl their faithful yet fiery interpretations of the Dead catalog (8 p.m.; $35 adv./$40 door; students $20). On Wednesday, June 18, vocalist Cheryl Rucker—longtime singer with Melvin Seals & JGB—throws an intimate JGB Birthday Celebration featuring surprise Bay Area guests (7 p.m.; $20 adv./$25 door; students $15). The synergy returns with Stu Allen & Mars Hotel on Wednesday, June 25 (8 p.m.; $30 adv./$35 door; students $20) and again Wednesday, July 2 (same times/pricing), before a final summer surge Friday, July 11 (8 p.m.; $35 adv./$40 door; students $20).
Outside the Dead orbit, Ashkenaz keeps its global pulse beating. Highlights include:
Motordude Zydeco revving up a Cajun two-step party on Thursday, June 12 (lesson 7:30 p.m.; $20 adv./$25 door).
Honky-tonk hero Mitch Polzak & Friends delivering twang and Telecasters Saturday, June 14 (8 p.m.; $20 adv./$25 door).
Singer-songwriter Esmé Patterson, celebrating her fifth album Notes from Nowhere with opener Mount Saint Elias on Friday, June 20 (8 p.m.; $17 adv./$20 door).
Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums featuring Miss Carmen Getit igniting a swing dance frenzy Saturday, June 21 (lesson 8 p.m.; $20 adv./$25 door).
Free community Balkan Jam night on Sunday, June 22, plus Greek folk masters Drómeno with Eleni Govetas Kompania Thursday, June 26.
A benefit Qawwali Dance Night for KPFA on Sunday, June 28, led by Sukhawat Ali Khan.
July heats up with fiddle virtuoso Tom Rigney & Flambeau (July 10) and Louisiana emissaries T Marie & the Bayou Juju (July 17).
About Ashkenaz
Founded in 1973 by the late David Nadel, Ashkenaz remains a beacon for grassroots music lovers, operated today as a 501(c)(3) venue that channels every ticket and drink sold back into programming, youth outreach, and cultural education. Doors—and the café—open 30 minutes before showtime. Every event is all ages, and beginner dance lessons precede most dance-centric nights, ensuring newcomers feel the beat from the very first step.
