Dennis McNally, as a trained historian and biographer, will talk about Jerry Garcia's upbringing and his distinctively San Francisco set of values that help shaped his own life and the Dead.
On this day - July 21st - in 2005, The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Commission passed the resolution giving the Excelsior District's McLaren Park amphitheater its proper name. :) Let's celebrate this Thursday (see below) and at the 13th Annual Jerry Day on August 2nd!
A 2 night panel discussion and musical journey featuring Grateful Dead tribute band The Golden Rose, and covering the historical, social, archival and cultural influences and aspects of the Grateful Dead with long-time members of the Grateful Dead extended family. Joining the panel over the weekend will be:
1. Carolyn "Mountain Girl" Garcia-Queen of the Scene (Friday night)
2. Cameron Sears-Grateful Dead manager 1988-2006,
currently Exec Dir of Rex Foundation (Sat night)
3. Dennis McNally-Long time band publicist and noted author
(Long Strange Trip, On Highway 61, Desolate Angel) (Friday night)
4. David Gans-Grateful Dead Hour Host on KPFA, noted author
(Playing in the Band, Conversations with the Dead)
and esteemed musician (Friday night)
5. Blair Jackson-Editor and Creator of the Golden Road-Grateful Dead fanzine
and another noted author/contributor (Garcia: An American Life,
The Music Never Stopped, Grateful Dead Gear). (Saturday night)
6. Donna Jean Godchaux-Mackay--Band Member from 1972-1979 (Saturday night)
7. Tom Stack-Club Dead (1984-1999), Grateful Dead VP of Licensing & Merchandising (2002-2006) and the Weekend's Panel Moderator
Each night will feature different panel members and a completely different set of music from The Golden Rose, a collection of some of the finest Grateful Dead influenced musicians in all of the Bay Area! They will be joined by David Gans on Friday & Donna Jean Godchaux both nights. We will have silent auction items, our own Shakedown Street bazaar, non-hosted food trucks to feed the masses, a full cash bar, a different free giveaway poster at the end of each night, a beautifully festooned lobby and impeccable sound. This event will sell out and it promises to be a special evening, so come and join your friends and "family" for a weekend you'll never forget!
DATE: Friday November 6 & Saturday November 7, 2015.
An Evening of Bob Dylan/Grateful Dead/JGB/Neil Young Music -- Shakey Zimmerman with Jennifer Mydland - Portion of Proceeds to Benefit Jerry Day. Shakey Zimmerman brings a fresh, authentic, true to form sound.
Last year was quite a year for Bob Dylan. He became the first musician to ever be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. His lyrics have long been the voice of a generation, and is catalog of famous songs is epic. Indeed “The Times They Are-A-Changing.” Neil Young has continued to strike a chord with the common man during his long career with both songs of life and active awareness to our changing environment. A memorable night is in store with the most famous of Dylan numbers that were done by the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band. A second set of more Dylan along with Neil Young songs that rival any of rocks anthems. Dylan-Dead-Dylan-JGB-Dylan-Young. It's big!
Shakey Zimmerman is led by veteran Bay Area musician, Pat Nevins on guitar, vocals, and harmonica. Nevins is no stranger to the Club Fox stage with appearances over the years from his first live appearance in the Bay Area at the Little Fox. He has both opened shows and headlined over the years doing Bob Dylan and Neil Young songs. The songs are carried by Nevins, who has an uncanny ability to channel both Dylan and Young’s trademark voices, while giving them his own stamp. The catalog of songs is deep. Shows are packed with famous songs that come one after another entertaining audiences of all ages. The band can also surprise even the biggest fans with some unexpected deep cuts. Shakey Zimmerman is locked and loaded with a dizzying array of tunes that span the decades, and Nevins embraces both the sensitive side of Dylan and Young, as well as the power-packed electric driven rock and roll side. Tonight the band will deliver a full course meal to fans touching both the sensitive side as well as the rock and roll side of both Dylan and Young’s vast catalog of songs. Tonight the focus will be on Garcia and the Dylan songs that he carried throughout his career from the beginning to the final Grateful Dead performances.
Pat Nevins played for six years as a member of Ghosts of Electricity, solidifying his knack for delivering intense Bob Dylan style vocals. He has shared the stage and opened for many famous names, including Bob Weir, David Nelson, The Radiators, Commander Cody, Merle Saunders, Koko Taylor, and Lonnie Brooks. Nevins is joined in the band by fingerpicking and fierce attack of guitar slinger, Jody Salino. As a protégé of Jorma Kaukonen, as well as Dave Van Ronk, Stefan Grossman, John Renbourne, and Ian Buchannan, all students of Reverand Gary Davis, Salino developed his guitar prowess as both an acoustic and electric force in his band The Bluescasters. Salino is also a highly skilled recording engineer who has worked his studio magic on many album projects alongside Bill Kirchen, Phil Lesh, Jimmy Herring, Rasheid Ali, Jaco Pastorius, and Earnest “Boom” Carter. Rounding out the band is solid country rock drummer, Mike Eaves of the Bluescasters, popular Marin county bassist, Jen Rund of Lumination and Talley Up, keyboardist, Scott Guberman, and backing vocalist Page Clem.
Shakey Zimmerman promises “Satistaction guaranteed.” Every show is a field of dreams.
JGB has played this event many times over our 20 year history, and we're happy to announce they'll be back for their 15 year anniversary of playing Jerry Day!
Stu Allen has played this event every year since 2006 and we're ecstatic to bring him and Mars Hotel back to Jerry Garcia Amphitheater.
Look out for special updates on his Mars Hotel lineup soon!
More Artist, Special Guests, and August event info coming soon!
Our annual festival would not be possible without your support! Please consider a donation to help ensure this annual event for generations to come. If you, or your company, are interested in sponsoring our annual event, please make a donation below or get in touch with our Development team by emailing jerrydaysf@gmail.com.
Friends of Jerry Garcia Amphitheater today announce the 23rd Annual Jerry Day, San Francisco’s civic and cultural celebration of native son and one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time, founding member of The Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, on Saturday, August 2 at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in San Francisco’s Excelsior District. Marking several significant anniversaries – the 60th anniversary of the founding of The Grateful Dead, the 30th anniversary of Garcia’s death and the 20th anniversary of the naming of the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater – this free event draws new and long-time fans to celebrate the musician’s artistry and his indelible legacy. Featured performers include Melvin Seals and JGB, with fiddle player Mads Tolling, and Stu Allen & Mars Hotel. Doors open at 11:00am, with performances 11:30am-5:45pm. For more information, go to https://www.jerryday.org/
Always held in early August to commemorate both Garicia’s August 1st birthday and his death on August 9, for over two decades Jerry Day has welcomed music lovers to enjoy venues in the Excelsior neighborhood in which Garcia was raised. Founder Tom Murphy says, “By uniting the diverse communities of San Francisco through Garcia’s music, we are creating something extraordinary for Jerry’s childhood neighborhood, the Excelsior District, McLaren Park, and the City and County of San Francisco.”
In a resolution presented to the SF Board of Supervisors on 415 Day (the annual April 15th celebration of San Francisco as marked by its 415 area code), a planned precursor to the festivities is a street sign ceremoration at Harrington and Mission Streets. Once approved, “Jerry Garcia Street” will be added underneath the Harrington Street sign at a date soon to be announced. Garcia grew up on Harrington Street in his grandparents home, which he recounts in his posthumously published autobiography, Harrington Street.
After the show, Jerry Day After Parties continue along the Excelsior Corridor, including Hot Mountain Dips at the Recovery Room at 7pm (4528 Mission St) and other acts to be announced performing throughout the evening at The Halfway Club (1166 Geneva Ave), Check In Lounge (201 Ocean Ave), Tala Wines (4625 Mission St), and Bottoms Up (4704 Mission St). For details, pub crawl map and a schedule of Jerry Day After Parties, go to https://www.jerryday.org/jerry-night.html. Jerry Day After Party events are curated by Friends of Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, Excelsior Merchants and other community partners.
ABOUT JERRY DAY
Jerry Day was conceived and founded in 2002, when the community came together in order to fundraise for a dilapidated playground located in the southeastern section of San Francisco's Excelsior District. Realizing the need for financial help and awareness, Tom Murphy, a native of the community, contacted the Jerry Garcia Estate in order to get their financial support and blessing to memorialize Jerry Garcia in his childhood neighborhood. From this, a long term relationship began in which the local community was able to use Garcia’s artwork to fundraise for the playground and to rename an amphitheater in his name. The first Jerry Garcia/Excelsior event happened on September 19, 2002 at the Italian American Social Club, raising $5,000 for the playground.
The following year, with the help of community members, the event moved to the McLaren Park Amphitheater, and was renamed Jerry Day, leading to the renaming of the amphitheater to Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. After years of park revitalization, ongoing awareness, and community empowerment, Jerry Day was recognized by the City and County of San Francisco and honored with a Best Community Building event award in 2009.
The founding goals of Jerry Day remain the same: to raise awareness and pride for the local communities while honoring famous native son, Jerry Garcia, the leader of The Grateful Dead and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jerry Day plays a vital role in uniting the diverse and low income neighborhoods around McLaren Park, providing them with an opportunity to bring more attention and resources to their community. Additionally, Jerry Day draws thousands of residents, youth, and travelers to experience various forms of art through music, art and cultural history.
Jerry Day is supported by San Francisco Grants for the Arts Hotel Tax Fund, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, San Francisco Recreation and Parks, Grateful Guitars Foundation, Sound Support, Jerry Garcia Family, Friends of Jerry Garcia Amphitheater and generous individual donors.
