The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Keeping memories of The Dead alive
Live Dead ’69, with original Grateful Dead pianist Tom Constanten, to perform
NEW HAVEN — There are Grateful Dead tribute bands out there and then there are Dead TRIBUTE bands out there, but it’s tough to argue with a band full of guys who have played in the various offshoots with members of The Dead itself.
It’s even tougher to argue with a band that includes a onetime member of The Dead among its members.
In this case, the band is Live Dead ’69 — playing at Toad’s Place on Thursday — which includes original Grateful Dead pianist Tom Constanten; guitarist Mark Karan, who has played with Bob Weir & Ratdog, The Other Ones and Phil Lesh; and Robin Sylvester, who has played bass with Ratdog.
It also features guitarist Slick Aguilar, lead guitarist for Jefferson Starship and the David Crosby Band, and, for this tour, Mike Falzarano and Johnny Markowski of the New Riders of the Purple Sage.
Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, available at toadsplace.com, the box office at 300 York St. or by calling 203-6248623, or $25 on the day of the show.
The last time through, in May, the band played the historic Grateful Dead 1969 double-album, “Live Dead,” from start to finish.
That may or may not be the case this tour, which as billed as “performing the original Filmoreera collaboration of Grateful Dead and New Riders of the Purple Sage.”
But either way, expect plenty of classic Dead played by people
who know how to do it as well as anyone — as well as some classic New Riders material that will be familiar to many in the audience.
Live Dead ’69 claims to be “the only touring entity that applies Grateful Dead’s classic zeitgeist of extemporization and interpretive improvisation beyond an ever expanding repertoire, much of which is created entirely ‘in the moment’ — without rehearsal or traditional ‘preparation.’ ”