If you’re a Dead Head, you’ve surely seen Grateful Dead tribute band upon Grateful Dead cover band, ad nauseum.
Some are good. Some phone it in. And some possess an ability to change your life.
The latter rarely comes through an ability to mimic or replicate the Grateful Dead’s triumphant highs and desperate, lonely, distressed, artistic and authentic lows. That, in my opinion, will never happen, no matter how hard any band, with any lineup, well-known or otherwise, tries.
But some Dead tribute bands CAN harness the energy and the power and the thrust of a good Grateful Dead concert. This is an unspeakable and indescribable transfer of inspiration, imagination and vision that far transcends rhythm, melody and lyrics. These bands offer no bells, no whistles. There is nobody trying to be somebody else. These bands just fucking play.
That, in my opinion, after upwards of 200 Grateful Dead concerts, is what this unraveling world desperately needs. And that is what I found on June 25, 2026, at the Colony Woodstock, in Woodstock, NY, while attending a performance of the band Dead Meat.
With more than 100 people in attendance, the Dead Meat guys, whose base of operations is Rockland County, NY, channeled enthusiasm and shared their passion with the audience. There was no, “Those guys on the stage and those guys and gals in the audience.” There was, quite simply, an “US” that everyone at hand was feeding off of, in the most wonderful of ways.
During this show, I was actually scrambling to find out where Dead Meat would be the next night, so I could experience this rager of a night again. I don’t recall how that worked out, but it didn’t matter. They were at hand. I was at hand. All was right in the universe.
Dead Meat delivers the grease and the gears. Their heart pumps. The joint jumps. There is no wanting or waiting. There is only now, and it’s fucking great.
Dead Meat this coming Friday night will be at Newburgh Brewing Company, in Newburgh, NY. The show will feature New York City groove-rock band Sam Hill as opening. This show is presented by “JamCast” on WKZE-FM. “JamCast”is a radio program showcasing “New and Vintage Grooves” that can be heard 9-11 p.m. Mondays on 98.1 FM in New York’s Hudson Valley, and at wkze.com everywhere else.
As you gear up to head to Newburgh for this show, read on below to learn more about one of the band’s members, guitarist and vocalist Tom Clancey. We’ll see ya there!
1-What was your first Grateful Dead-related concert, what venue was it in and what city was it in?
My dad tried to take me to see the Dead when I was 10 in 1995 at Giant Stadium. y mom said “No way, they come around every year!” My dad had hundreds of live shows on cassette tape and listened around the clock. While that turned out to be my missed opportunity to see Jerry, a few years later I went to the Furthur Festival, probably in 1999. I was officially in the tribe.
2-What is your favorite GD song and why?
“Lady with a Fan.” I remember, as a kid, the sun hitting my face and feeling connected to the timelessness of the melody and lyrics, both simple and complex, simultaneously.
3-What’s the farthest you’ve ever traveled to see a member of the Grateful Dead perform?
Bob Weir and Rat Dog: Tennessee, Bonnaroo 2007.
4-When did you start playing guitar?
I started playing guitar at about 12 years old. I’ve now been playing for most of my life.
5-What do you enjoy about playing the guitar?
Guitar players can think in shapes and patterns. Seeing these repeat up the fretboard is almost like being shown that music, or sound intervals, and the emotional context we derive from it, is sacred geometry, part of the fundamental orientation of the universe. Manipulating these forces is my favorite part.
6-When did Dead Meat form? Can you list the members, their instruments and where they are from?
Dead Meat will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2027. We formed in Nyack in 2017. Dan Rappaport is our bassist and singer. Steve Jordan and I play guitar and sing. Kevin Weinberger is our drummer. Ryan Liatsis, the best guitarist in the band, joined as our keyboard player and is now a multi-instrumentalist on keys and guitar.
7-What is Dead Meat’s strongest tune?
China Cat -> I know you Rider. It showcases our bouncy rhythms, lead instrumentalists, vocal harmonies and group dynamics.
8-What’s the biggest gig you’ve ever played?
Ridgefield Playhouse, recorded live on video and audio, available on YouTube. A Phil Lesh & Friends afterparty at Garcia’s at The Cap in Port Chester was also up there.
9- Tell me about your fanbase. Who are they? What are the demographics? Do they travel to see you?
We have wonderful fans who do come to see us wherever we play. A lot of the folks are Dead Heads, but we always enjoy hearing from the people who say, ‘This is my first Grateful Dead tribute show and now I am hooked. The music is a vehicle and our own style does get a chance to come through.
10-What do you enjoy about playing live music?
We take a journey with every performance. Coming through to the end instills an emotional sense of accomplishment. Building those peak moments that sometime surprise us and the emotional joy from the musicians and fans all in communion—that’s got to be it!
11-Do you believe music can play any role in healing the divisions that separate us?
Yes, emphatically! Music is a force for bringing us together in a world with evil forces trying to rip us apart. “If you get confused, listen to the music play!”
12-Is there a song you love so much you wish you wrote it? This can be written by anybody and doesn’t have to be GD related.
“Waiting for a Miracle.” I love the Jerry Garcia cover but this song was by Bruce Cockburn. It speaks to my eternal optimism: “Somewhere out there/Is a place that’s cool/Where peace and balance are the rule.”
13-What is the best thing about a song, any song?
It can skip the details and get right to the emotional truth that lies just beneath the surface; when you get goosebumps and the hair stands up on your neck, the song rings out some universal truth like a bell.
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