Phil Lesh Plots Telstar Jams, Storytellers Series and More at Terrapin Crossroads (Plays for Free Too)

Phil Lesh played a free show at his San Rafael, CA venue Terrapin Crossroads last night. After hosting a series of ticketed West Coast Rambles, Lesh, Chris Robinson and Ryan Adams & the Cardinals pedal steel guitarist Jon Graboff offered a 100-minute set in the club’s more intimate bar space.

The trio’s setlist mixed songs from the extended Grateful Dead/Jerry Garcia catalog with covers of The Rolling Stones (“No Expectations”), Fred Neil’s “The Dolphins,” Otis Redding (“You Don’t Miss Your Water”) and Bob Dylan (“You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere”), among others. The trio also performed a Dylan-inspired version of the traditional “He Was a Friend of Mine” and The Byrds’ arrangement of “I Am a Pilgrim” as well as The Black Crowes’ “The Last Place That Love Lives.” Regular Terrapin Crossroads drummer Jaz Sawyer also splayed some spare percussion on “Loser.”

On other news, on Thursday, May 24 Lesh will host his first Storytellers Series show. Throughout the free performance, Lesh and Furthur guitarist John Kadlecik will discuss “Grateful Dead music as repertoire.” Fans can obtain tickets by calling 415.524.2773.

Then, on Sunday, May 27, Lesh, Kadlecik, Graboff, Sawyer and Furthur/RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti will host the venue’s first Telstar all-star performance. Like his past shows under the Telstar moniker, the evening will consist of freeform, space-inspired and electronic jams.