A tradition started on our dance floor in the 20th century, Grateful Dead Night is always evolving. Currently singer and guitar phenom Stu Allen hosts the event, appearing three nights this month (also August 15 and 29) with his band Mars Hotel, a changing cast of friends who are also plugged into the Dead magic. They include familiar songs – especially of the Dead variety – as well as Allen’s own compositions, which singer and guitarist Allen and crew use as launching pads for flights of improvisation. Note that very few, if any, songs are repeated from week to week, or month to month. And you never know when Allen and crew will do a whole theme night, such as Jerry Garcia Band tunes. This week Mars Hotel is Sam Johnston (The Fall Risk, Box Set, Front Street) on keyboards and harmonica, Jimmy Tebeau (JGB, The Schwag) on bass, and Jerry Saracini on drums.

Allen is one of the leading figures in the jam band and Dead-inspired community, featured in such groups as Front Street, Melvin Seals & JGB, and Workingman’s Ed. He has performed at the annual Jerry Garcia Day concerts in San Francisco’s McLaren Park and even led an entire day at the Dead on the Creek festival featuring his various bands. He has also played with Bob Weir, Steve Kimock, Warren Haynes, and numerous other prominent musicians. With his uncanny improvising skill and his commitment to making every performance unique, Allen has made extensive contributions to the jam music scene. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, he co-founded the Minnesota-based acoustic-electric jam band Blue Man Jive in the early 1990s. He was also a founder of the Jones Gang, Minneapolis’ premier Grateful Dead tribute band. Now a resident of San Francisco, Allen continues to explore, experiment, create, and recreate within a variety of musical styles, many of them Dead-linked.