Grahame Lesh Announces Grateful Dead Tribute Concerts

Grahame Lesh is celebrating the 60th anniversary of his father Phil Lesh’s iconic rock outfit the Grateful Dead with the Heart of the Town, a concert series organized by the San Francisco Giants, Peter Shapiro’s Relix magazine and Jonathan Shank’s Terrapin Station Entertainment. The Heart of the Town will take place from July 31 to Aug. 2 at Pier 48 in San Francisco.

Performing alongside Lesh are more than 20 artists in the Dead’s orbit, including brothers Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith from the group Dawes, Black Crowes contributor Jackie Greene and American jazz keyboard player and composer John Medeski. Other contributing artists include Melvin Seals, Eric Krasno, Karina Rykman, Tommy Hamilton, Karl Denson, Neal Francis, Duane Betts and Jake Peavy.

The series will open July 31 show with doors at 7 p.m. and showtime at 8 p.m. Shows on Friday and Saturday (Aug. 1-2) will follow larger concerts by Dead & Company at Golden Gate Park, serving as an unofficial after-party with doors opening at 10 p.m. and showtime at 11 p.m.

“My family has recently talked about the Grateful Dead’s legacy as a grand old tree, still growing after 60 years,” Lesh said in a statement provided to Billboard. “Its roots are deep in the earth of America’s musical history. Its trunk is the original members of the band, and its branches and leaves are all the musical offshoots and musicians who were and continue to be inspired by the music of the Grateful Dead.”

Lesh described The Heart of the Town as a celebration of the Dead’s 60-year legacy, adding “I am honored to host this all-star celebration at Pier 48 in Mission Rock with all of these beautiful musicians” and “I know that San Francisco will be filled with that music all weekend.”

We’re proud to stand with our partners to present The Heart of Town at Pier 48,”

Giants President and CEO Larry Baer said The Heart of Town “embodies San Francisco’s enduring spirit while producer Shank borrowed a line from “Ripple” declaring “let there be songs to fill the air!”

Presales will begin Friday, June 27 at 10 am Pacific with tickets officially going on sale to the general public on Monday, June 30 at 10 am Pacific. All passes can be purchased at the Giants’ website with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Grateful Dead’s own Rex Foundation to support creative endeavors in the arts, sciences, and education.