Cubensis Offers Live Perspective on the Dead
The West’s Top Tribute Act Performs Entire
Grateful Dead Show Recreations
Since 1986, Los Angeles-based band Cubensis has carried the torch in celebration of one of America’s most beloved touring bands, the Grateful Dead. Cubensis sets out to re-create the Grateful Dead experience by emulating the sounds of Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and the rest of the legendary San Francisco jam band. Cubensis plays complete shows covering all eras of the Grateful Dead, and no night is ever the same. Cubensis is far more than just your standard cover band as they bring the magic and sounds to those longing for the live vibe that only the Grateful Dead was able to deliver. "This is not imitation," cautions lead guitarist Craig Marshall, "This is the real deal. We're satisfying our musical curiosities like they did, by exploring improvisational frontiers. When you take a musical leap of faith, sometimes you land on the rocks, but sometimes you fly."
Cubensis performs
its critically acclaimed live performance of Grateful Dead show recreations to
audiences and venues all over the western United States. Giving homage in a
continually evolving artistic outlet, the band recreates the Grateful Dead
experience with compelling authenticity. Like the Dead, the band explores and
searches out all the possibilities of the music.
The group is drawing
national attention with their true-to-life performances. LA Weekly recently raved "Cubensis plays with the same
laid-back mastery as the real McCoy." Big
Brother skateboard magazine says Cubensis is "the nation’s
premiere Dead tribute" and the OC Weekly declared them "the hottest Grateful Dead tribute act
going." OC Register affirmed
Cubensis was "the best place to channel Jerry Garcia" and AOL
Citybeat stated, “Cubensis is renown for whipping its faithful crowd
into a swirling, psychedelic mass for three hours straight.”
Each night, Cubensis
decides on performing songs from the hundreds that the Grateful Dead performed
during their 30-year tenure as fathers of improvisational rock. As a chamber
orchestra interprets Bach or Mozart, Cubensis presents a completely spontaneous
set list, song by song, with uncanny faithful interpretation. Audience members
encourage the band by calling out requests for favorite tunes. The band performed their 2000th show during the 2005 summer tour.
The group has its
craft so well refined that even members of the Grateful Dead themselves, such
as keyboardists Vince Welnick and Tom Constanten, have appeared on stage and
performed with these live music interpreters. Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir
praised the band, saying, “Just love what you do...and of course, you
do!”
Cubensis dips into
every incarnation of the Dead, so most fans can "see" shows that
happened long before they were born. All eras of the Dead and the Jerry Garcia
Band are represented. As with the originators, improvisation is key, so every
night’s performance is unique and memorable.
In celebrating the Grateful Dead concert experience, the band performs a wondrous amalgam of blues, country, jazz, electronic and rock and roll music, all in the space of about three hours on stage. As with all improvisational jambands, every Cubensis performance is an ongoing experiment, and is closely tied to the boundless energy of the Deadicated fans. No set list is ever repeated, no tune ever played without true improvisational passion, no fan left unsatisfied. Each and every experience is unique... as it was MEANT to be. Truly, there is nothing like a Cubensis show!!
In addition to
regional touring with numerous sold out shows, Cubensis continued their
commitment to community service in August, when they performed a benefit show
in partnership with the Rex Foundation, a non-profit, charitable organization
established in 1983 by friends and members of the Grateful Dead, to further the
organization's philanthropic goals. Money raised at the benefit concert was
contributed directly to the Rex Foundation which provided grants to area
community groups and non-profits.
In 2006, the band plans to tour fulltime with some 150 dates per year spread across the southwest from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe, San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas. The last several years have seen them playing at medium to large sized theatres joined by special guests such as Vince Welnick of the Dead, Chris Robinson and Marc Ford of the Black Crowes, Warren Haynes of Allman Brothers fame, Garcia collaborator David Nelson, and Barney Doyle of the Mickey Hart Band.
Cubensis's
authenticity and popularity is possible because of the Dead's fervent fans,
called Deadheads, who followed the group from show to show, who have now
latched on to Cubensis. Unlike most bands, the Dead allowed its fans to tape
performances. The tapes have been archived, and a data base called DeadBase
lists the order of songs done at every show. Thus, the band’s appearances and
performances are highly anticipated.
The band doesn't
reproduce the Grateful Dead's songs note for note---though it would be hard for
most listeners to tell. The Dead's music is highly improvisational, with rock,
country and jazz influences. Cubensis members say there's room for
interpretation while staying true to the original. “It’s all about tapping into
the same inspirational flow,” says Cubensis guitarist Craig Marshall. Dead
guru Jerry Garcia granted Marshall permission to recreate the Dead’s music,
as long as he "did a good job" of it. “I told him we played all Grateful Dead
songs,” recounts Marshall, to which Garcia replied, in mock surprise, “Oh yeah?
So do we!”
Even the press has caught on to what they're trying to do. LA Times observed, “As the tribute to one of the ultimate jam bands, their set lists are as free and frollicky as the crowd.” Big Brother skateboard magazine did a feature piece on Cubensis in its January 2002 issue and various newspapers and online publications have consistently praised the band, and its mellow but fanatical following. In the end, what Cubensis does is not just a tribute to the Grateful Dead but a testament to the enormous number of unique setlists they performed in their long career. Cubensis seizes the framework of the original music and sees how much further it can be taken.
CUBENSIS—The Grateful Dead Music Tribute
www.cubensis.com
Exclusive representation:
Craig Marshall, Metrosound Productions
Redondo Beach, CA
(310) 318-6644
To send email inquiry click HERE.