Further brings Grateful Dead founders Lesh and Weir to Missoula

Published: June 9, 2011

Further, anchored by two founding members of the Grateful Dead, guitarist and songwriter Bob Weir and bassist Phil Lesh, comes to the Adams Center in Missoula Sept. 27. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 10.

Lesh is credited with inspiring the jam band movement with his wide-ranging collaborations as Phil Lesh and Friends, known for high-flying improvisations and timeless renditions of Grateful Dead classics.

Weir, author the Dead staples such as “Truckin’,” “Sugar Magnolia,” and “Cassidy,” Weir has been in Montana several times with his band RatDog.

Lesh and Weir formed Further two years ago, after touring with original Grateful Dead members Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart. According to the band’s website, www.further.net, “the results were erratic, leaving Weir feeling like the road trip was more work than fun and Lesh saying the music didn’t seem to be moving forward.

“Besides stirring up some commotion, the ’09 Dead tour reminded Weir and Lesh of the chemistry the two had as bandmates. This led to the creation of Furthur – arguably one of the most successful Dead projects Weir has participated in to date.”

The band, named after the psychedelically painted bus that author Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters drove across America in the ‘60s, continues “the Grateful Dead tradition of stellar playing and free-flowing improvisation that moves the mind and shakes the body.”

The band is also composed of “the dean of jam band pianists” Jeff Chimenti, guitarist John Kadlecik, drummer Joe Russo, and vocalists Sunshine Becker and Jeff Pehrso.

Mary Muse, director of the Adams Center, told the Missoulian that she fully expects the band to attract the fabled Deadheads, followers who travel from show to show, and plans to “monitor activity in the parking lot … At the same time, it's important to acknowledge the culture that goes with it.”

Tickets are $50.25 and go on sale Friday, June 10. Visit griztix.com or call 888-MONTANA.