Grateful Dead’s American Beauty album gets reimagined at Kay Meek Arts Centre

Deadheads, this one’s for you

SPONSORED POST BY blueshore at capu

Top row, from left: Maya De Vitry (formerly of the Stray Birds), Steve Dawson, Samantha Parton (formerly of the Be Good Tanyas), Joachim Cooder (Ry Cooder Band), Ruth Moody (Wailin Jennys). Bottom row from left: Khari Wendell McClelland (the Sojourners), Krystle dos Santos, Roy Forbes (UHF), Jim Byrnes, and Rich Hope.

The BlueShore at CapU’s annual tradition of rounding up primo musicians to reimagine a classic album continues, and this year the iconic album is Grateful Dead’s American Beauty.

The two-night show takes place at Kay Meek Arts Centre on October 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m.

As always, guitar wizard and producer extraordinaire Steve Dawson is the production leader. His accomplices include Jim Byrnes, Joachim Cooder (Ry Cooder Band), Krystle dos Santos, Roy Forbes (UFH), Rich Hope, Khari Wendell McClelland (the Sojourners), Ruth Moody (Wailin’ Jennys), Samantha Parton (formerly of the Be Good Tanyas), and Maya De Vitry (formerly of the Stray Birds).

Since Dawson considers these performances “reimaginings” rather than “tributes,” enduring tracks like “Sugar Magnolia,” “Friend of the Devil,” and “Truckin’’ (indeed, ‘what a long strange trip it’s been!’), will be performed in styles entirely up to the artists’ inspiration.  

The world’s favourite jam band would certainly approve. 

Influenced by friendships with the likes of Crosby, Stills and Nash and propelled by the Grateful Dead’s musical development, American Beauty distilled the best and brightest aspects of an inspiring, complicated band and remains a highlight of the group’s discography. Says Jerry Garcia: “It has some of the first things I’ve written, and that we’ve performed as a band, that in my opinion, are genuinely beautiful.”

Tickets for American Beauty: A Reimagining of Grateful Dead’s Iconic Album are $56/$53/$29 at kaymeek.com/events.

Post sponsored by BlueShore at CapU.