Dead Set at the Mercy Lounge

Remember when we mentioned The Grateful Dead, and you made the sour-lemon face and said, “The Dead suck”? And then you said, “Hey, what’s that on the car speakers,” and we told you it was American Beauty? And you just got this puzzled look, like you’d accidentally kissed a guy and didn’t throw up? If The Dead are cool enough for Animal Collective, Elvis Costello and the final episode of Freaks and Geeks, it’s time to come out of the closet, wee hipster—and there’s no better pride celebration than this tribute band made up of Music City session aces Rick Plant, Byron House, John Kearns, Jeff Marino, Chris Brown and Michael Webb. They haven’t played here in years, probably because of their regular gigs with the likes of Sam Bush, Darius Rucker, Buddy Miller and others. But that only gives this event the feel of a reunion, as Dead shows always did back in the day. Well, maybe not at Altamont.
Tue., July 14, 9 p.m., 2009