10/22/2026
Before Jerry Garcia became the face of the Grateful Dead, he was a young musician obsessed with bluegrass and the banjo, and he never really left that music behind.
This is one of the things that makes Deadgrass so much fun. These five extraordinary musicians take you on a trip through Jerry's musical life, from his early jug band days and Old & In the Way to the Jerry Garcia Band and, of course, the Grateful Dead.
And there's a reason this music feels so at home at Caffè Lena. Bluegrass and traditional American music are part of our DNA. You can hear it in our weekly jams, see it being passed along to young musicians in our School of Music, and experience it in the artists who take our stage. So much of the popular music we love has deep roots in these traditions, and those roots are still growing and flourishing right here at Lena's.
But Deadgrass isn't a band trying to sound exactly like the original recordings. They bring their own considerable talent and imagination to the music, with banjo, fiddle, guitars, bass, gorgeous harmonies, and plenty of room for those wonderful, unpredictable jams.
And the musicians have some pretty remarkable credentials of their own, including work with Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen, and a current Broadway gig with Hamilton!
Saturday, October 31 marks our THIRD annual Deadgrass Halloween celebration at Caffè Lena, and we're doing it twice! Shows at 5PM & 8PM!
Whether you've followed the Dead for decades, discovered Jerry through bluegrass, or don't even like jam band music (!), this is going to be a treat.
Deadgrass at Lena's for Two shows, on Halloween night!
Tickets at caffelena.org
