Jerry Garcia Celebration

Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pa., June 1995. The Dead kicked off their set with “Hell in a Bucket,” and not even four seconds into the opening solo, Garcia was paces behind the rest of the band. His voice was cracked and hollow for nearly every song, but those thirsty Heads didn’t mind; they even loved it when he sang weak versions of “Candyman” and “Terrapin.” But Jerry made good at the end by closing out the second set with a beautiful and heart-wrenching “Standing on the Moon.” It was the first chance I had to hear Jerry live, and it would be the last. What’s the point of this memory-lane trip? As talented as the Dead were, the heart and soul was that smiling, bearded man in the black T-shirt and awkward eyeglasses, no matter how off he was toward the end of his life. Pay your respects tonight at Nectar for the second annual Jerry Garcia Celebration. With In Lake’ch, the Special Purpose, and DJs Bill Walton and Custy.