Three decades after Jerry Garcia’s death, a close-knit band of musicians is carrying the torch for his distinctive blend of soul, guitar, and eclectic American music. Jerry’s Middle Finger does more than celebrate the Jerry Garcia Band’s catalog; they also share it with a new generation, upholding Garcia’s dedication to camaraderie and community by creating their own family-like experience onstage.
How sweet it is to experience the joy of JGB’s music in a live setting. A concert by Jerry’s Middle Finger is a connective, cathartic event: a fusion of artist and audience, where everyone’s a fan of the same catalog and experience. Those concerts began in 2015, when bandmates Garrett Deloian, Rodney Newman, Son Vo, Jon Gold, Halina Janusz, and Lisa Malsberger were drawn together by a love of the Grateful Dead and its iconic lead guitarist. As the years progressed, the band’s audience grew. Dive bar gigs in JMF’s hometown of Los Angeles gave way to performances at bucket-list venues across the country, including jam-band destinations like the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, the Troubadour in Los Angeles, The Ardmore in Philadelphia, and Garcia’s at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY.