The Grateful Dead established one of the largest cult followings of Rock ‘n’ Roll history, which was achieved by extensive touring and unmatched musical talent. Thousands of people are added to the fan base each year, as younger generations are opened into the world that was, and is, the Grateful Dead. However, as the older generation keeps on reminding the younger, you are not a total fan until you experience the work of the Grateful Dead live and in person. This is something that the JiMiller Band is going to be bringing to Bowling Green this weekend in an exclusive all Grateful Dead tribute show.
The JiMiller Band will take the stage at Howard’s Club H on January 22 at 9 p.m. and will play a three-hour long set which features all songs from legendary jam band, the Grateful Dead.
Jim Miller, vocalist, guitarist, and mandolinist, however, claims that the JiMiller band is not an official Grateful Dead cover band, based on the fact that do have a lot of original material and the band has an immense love and knowledge about the music that they play.
“I’ve been playing this kind of music for many years and I have played with members of the Grateful Dead. I played on 1996’s “Further Fest” which included Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir. I’ve opened for Phish and I’ve jammed with the Allman Brothers Band.”
Miller, who achieved notoriety during his stint with Oroboros a long-lived jam band who frequented Bowling Green often, expressed that he was excited to do the show at Howard’s this Saturday, as this is the first time that the JiMiller band has actually taken the “All Grateful Dead” cover show on the road.
“The Jam band scene is back in Bowling Green again,” Miller said. “There is a need for this music to be out there. People just love what the Dead did, and we feel that we know how to do it really well.”
However, some Bowling Green fans are very cautious about the all Grateful Dead show.
Erin Darnley, long time fan of Grateful Dead and BGSU student said, “The Dead are irreplaceable. Since Jerry Garcia died, not even the remainder of the Dead could capture the magic that they once had. It’s really difficult to be a successful Grateful Dead cover band.”
Miller however claims that Grateful Dead fans will not be disappointed by Saturday’s show. “A Grateful dead tribute is a tribute from the heart. We are all people who love that kind of music, but it’s not a total copy thing. We obviously have some of the same flavor as the dead because we are all influenced by them as musicians, but we put our own twist into the music also,” Miller said.
Tickets will be available for $5.