Nevada City, CA – Come out and boogie to the music of Southern rock institution, the Allman Brothers Band on Thursday, May 23 when Band Beyond Description brings together a loving tribute to the music of Dickey Betts to the Miners Foundry Cultural Center.
Doors and bar open at 7 p.m and the show begins at 8 p.m.
Whether playing the blues, a funky soul tune, some good old country music or a jazz-rock epic, the Allman Brothers Band were always in the groove, deeply honest and authentic.
“You can’t help but dance. They pull you out of your chair and make you want to move,” said Gary Campus of Band Beyond Description and The Deadbeats. A fan since his youth, Campus (percussion) was in awe of the band’s two drummers.
Dickey Betts, singer, songwriter and guitarist of the Allman Brothers Band known for “Ramblin’ Man” died in April at the age of 80.
Saddened by the news, Campus and Sean Lehe (Jelly Bread, Poor Man’s Whiskey, Grateful Bluegrass Boys) realized it was timely to come together and pay tribute to their rock influence.
“I’ve been a fan since I was a teenager. They just blew me away. When Dickey died we called on each other and said ‘we have to put together a band and do a tribute,’” said Lehe.
“The Allman Brothers Band was the band that introduced me to open improvisation. These guys were getting after it in ways that a lot of the other bands I adored at the time, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, even Santana and Hendrix didn’t seem to improvise with such tenacity. They also seemed to groove harder than a lot of the other bands of the era, this made me focus in on their sound pretty intently,” said Lehe.
Band Beyond Description have a following at Nevada City’s Crazy Horse Saloon where they perform monthly Grateful Dead-inspired jams. Campus and Lehe quickly pulled together additional band members for the tribute show and reached out to the Foundry’s Executive Director Gretchen Bond to secure a concert date.
“The wheels started spinning and I started calling people. By the end of the day we had a band. Since the pandemic, we’ve been really wanting to put together a project. This is one of those things. We gotta do this,” said Campus.
Johnny Mojo (Achilles Wheel) and Campus enlisted the help of Mr. Scott Guberman on the keyboards, and the Sean Lehe Trio to fill out this 6-piece band. David Lee and Danny Roholt have been meowing folks down in local jamband Moody Cat. Expect the “group mind” to be easy access with this inspiring group of players.
“This is kind of the all star cast of characters. It’s a real coming together of the region’s finest. It’s very exciting,” said Campus.
Scott Guberman toured with Live Dead and Brothers this spring, an all-star lineup featuring Les Dudek from the Allman Brothers Band, original Grateful Dead pianist Tom Constanten, Berry Duane Oakley from the Allman Betts Band, Mark Karan from Bob Weir & Rat Dog, Scott Guberman from Phil Lesh & Friends, and Pete Lavezzoli from Oteil and Friends.
“It’s like a weird collision of universes for me,” said Guberman. “I’ll be fresh off a tour with Live Dead and Brothers. Dickey passed after our tour had started. I loved playing this music and I’m glad I’ll get a chance to play it with Band Beyond Description for this tribute to Dickey Betts on May 23rd,” said Guberman.
“I discovered the Allman Brothers prior to the Grateful Dead, so for me the Allman Brothers Band were the direct precursor to exploring the catalogs of artists like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Weather Report. It’s that bridge between rock music and jazz where music can be intellectually satisfying while still making you want to dance,” said Lehe.
KNOW AND GO
WHO: Band Beyond Description presents a Tribute to Dickey Betts
MORE INFO: minersfoundry.org
WHERE: Miners Foundry, 325 Spring Street, Nevada City, CA 95959
WHEN: Thursday, May 23; Doors and bar open at 7 p.m., show begins at 8 p.m.
COST: $25 General Admission for Standing / Dancing Show with Limited Seating | $35 Reserved Cabaret Seating
TICKETS: minersfoundry.org
Available online or in person at the Miners Foundry Box Office:
325 Spring Street, Nevada City, CA 95959
Tuesday – Friday | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Miners Foundry Cultural Center is a living historic treasure serving Nevada County as a cultural art and community events center producing 400 events annually. More than a venue, the nonprofit’s mission is to preserve, enhance and utilize the historic Miners Foundry for cultural, educational and social activities in Nevada County. It is a symbol of California’s rich historical heritage, providing an educational and social bridge from our past to the present and future. Membership supports ongoing events at Miners Foundry such as these and many others.