Review: Melvin Seals & JGB @ Mexicali
Melvin Seals and JGB @ Mexicali Live, October 15
Words: Tyler D. Curtis
Photos: Vernon Webb
I headed out to Teaneck, NJ this past Friday for a new musical experience. Being a huge fan of the Grateful Dead, and more importantly of Jerry Garcia’s career as a whole, I was immensely eager to see Melvin Seals and the current lineup of JGB channel the second side of Garcia’s musical endeavors. The room where the show took place, Mexicali Live, is most likely the only Grateful Dead themed venues in New Jersey. And by that, I mean the name – derived from a Grateful Dead classic – and in combination with a picture of Jerry Garcia in the middle of the back wall up in the balcony, makes you feel like his spirit surrounds the place constantly.
[All photos by Vernon Webb]
I arrived to a gathering of fans chattering and exploring the small amount of vending that took place in the bitter Teaneck, NJ night air. As I stepped inside, I noticed the venue was filling up rather fast, and the opening act was closing out their performance. The Desolation Angels were an appropriate opener for the crowd that Seals and his mates attracted, as they brought a bluesy-jam sound to the atmosphere, almost warming up the stage for the Jerry Garcia Band tribute band. I was rather astonished at the younger vibe of the crowd and was surprised to find that a handful of people were on tour with the group. This gave me some reassurance that this band must live up the hype.
As 10:15 rolled around, the band walked on the rather small stage, sat down at their instruments, and wasted little time getting started. Stu Allen (guitar) started off the introduction to Ain’t No Bread In The Breadbox while a moment later, Melvin Seals let out a screech from his keys, initiating the iconic song from the Jerry Garcia Band repertoire. As the chorus was sung, the one-woman gospel section brought us to church in a groovy manner.
READ ON for more on last Friday’s performance…
