These Are the Best Grateful Dead Tribute Bands in Denver

Although Jerry Garcia passed away in 1995 and bassist Phil Lesh joined him in the great gig in the sky last year, the music of the Grateful Dead has continued to proliferate, just as it has ever since the former jug band first began to inspire its audience in the ’60s with a unique blend of roots, rock and jazz-like exploration.

Musicians who embrace the spirit of the Dead still stoke the psychedelic flames of the legendary jam pioneers by channeling the well-appreciated sound and, in some cases, even the look of, the original purveyors. Colorado has produced its fair share of Grateful Dead-influenced acts over the years, with new ones coming in as the old ones go. Keep reading for just a small sample of the talented local artists who fill the air with the songs and sense of a band beyond description.

Built to Last
Rooted in the Westminster area but performing all around the Front Range, Built to Last includes guitarists and singers Mark Vossler and Keith Stieduhar as well as bassist Bryan Williams and drummer and founding member George Stieduhar. The group also includes a rotating cast of local Dead-influenced musicians (such as keyboardists Jessica Holloway and Ben Rafferty and guitarist Ryan Dillow). The band, which also fields an offshoot acoustic iteration that goes by the name of Gratefully Acoustic, performs regularly at places such as the Grateful Gnome Sandwich Shoppe and Brewery in Highland and Cactus Jack's Saloon in Evergreen, among many other Dead-friendly breweries and watering holes in Colorado.

Crick Wooder
"Crick Wooder" is an amusing alternate pronunciation of "creek water," but there's nothing funny about this group's inspired and soulful renditions of the Grateful Dead's classic repertoire. Drummer Kevin Conrad holds down the rhythm with the amply skilled help of veteran Front Range bassist Jim Sullivan, Zachary Nover on keys and Shawn Cunnane on guitar and primary vocals. While the group often plays as a four-piece, it's been known to have talented local guests sit in to round out its authentic-sounding renderings of the well-celebrated Dead songbook.

Dave Abear & Friends
Denver resident Dave Hebert (pronounced "A-bear") provides a Garcia-esque experience whenever he plays. Hebert, who bears a close-ish resemblance to the late Jerry Garcia, with his beard and mellow personality, logged time in the post-1995 version of the Jerry Garcia Band, playing alongside legendary Garcia Band organ player and vocalist Melvin Seals and a few of Jerry's former legendary women backup singers. Hebert also fields an Arizona-based Dead act called Xtra Ticket and is a member of Steely Dead, which combines a pleasing blend of the music of Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead. Abear & Friends includes Matthew Hebert on bass and other local talent including drummer/percussionist Chris Sheldon.

Dead Phish Orchestra
Mashing up the music of Phish and the Grateful Dead, Dead Phish Orchestra has delivered the jammy goods for fans of the tried-and-true grooves of both bands since 2009. With Phish being the perhaps slightly less serious, though talented, younger sibling of the Dead, the two songbooks combine naturally well. Dead Phish has fine-tuned its game over the years, with guitarist Paul Murin leading the charge and bassist Brian Adams and keyboardist Ted Tilton lending their well-honed skills to the mix. The band has been joined by some of the top talent from the jam-rock scene, including former members of Dark Star Orchestra and Phil Lesh & Friends. Expect the unexpected in terms of song combinations, such as "Divided Sky" into "Morning Dew," or "Jack Straw" into "Weekapaug Groove." DPO yokes together the best of two classic jam juggernauts.

Drums and Space
Named after one of the Dead's most wavy songs, Drums and Space was founded by Eric West in 2022 after decades of traveling and performing in other Dead tribute bands. In this act, West (vocals/guitar) is joined by keyboardist Jay Rowe, drummer Chris Rose, percussionist Scott Headly and lead guitarist/vocalist Travis Daudert. The band started hosting shows at outdoor venues in the summer to emulate Shakedown Street, the vending and gathering space on lot, and keeps the tunes going at indoor spaces such as Cervantes' in the winter.

Peak2Peak
Another group that boasts a highly skilled pool of Grateful Dead-steeped talent from around the Boulder and Denver zone, Peak2Peak has won over local Deadheads with several well-received private shows as well as its regular stomps at area venues including the St. Julien Hotel in Boulder and Wibby Brewing and Maxline Brewing in Longmont. Expect this group to keep up its hot streak in 2025. P2P includes Max Mackey on guitar; Mark Florence on keys and vocals; Jim Fricker on bass and vocals; and Taylor Hamill on the skins.

Ramblin' Band
Taking its name and cues from the work of the Allman Brothers, but also including some classic Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band-inspired tunes in its jam-soaked repertoire, Ramblin' Band counts longtime Denver jammerati Phil Dudden, Stef Kull, John Ellington, Mason Hall and Chris Krantz among its members. The band threads together spirited meanderings rooted in different eras of the Allmans along with the occasional Dead (and other classic roots artists) chestnut, all of which might make you think you're at Watkins Glen circa 1972.

Shakedown Street
Shakedown Street has been truckin' longer than any Colorado Grateful Dead tribute act. Launching from the hills of Manitou Springs back in the ’80s, the group has gone through personnel shifts over the years while continuing to draw the faithful whenever it performs. Like many longstanding Dead cover bands, the outfit sometimes describes itself as a "collective," cycling through a revolving roster of players. Earlier iterations of the band included one of its founding guitarists, Teddy Galloway, and Scott Swartz (who joined in the ’90s), who both still perform with other ensembles in Colorado. Shakedown Street, which also took in eTown's house drummer, Christian Teele, for a spell, is a Centennial State institution at this point. The current version of the Street comprises Josh Rosen on lead guitar, Edwin Hurwitz on bass, Joe Weisiger on keys, Peter Czolowski on rhythm guitar and Joel Zeiner on drums. Look for them at events all over Colorado and at classic spots like the Boulder Theater from time to time.

Tumbledown Shack
Representing the northern Front Range, Tumbledown Shack, which takes its name from Robert Hunter's countrified lyrics in the classic Grateful Dead rocker "Brown Eyed Women," is a five-piece outfit that pays careful attention to its craft. The band, which got its start in 2019, has found sure footing in the past few years and enjoys stepping out all around Boulder, FoCo, Golden and beyond. The group includes Luke Zollo on guitar and vocals; Chris Bell on keys, vocals and sax; Cragon Sims on bass and vocals; Tony Bellucci on guitar and vocals; and the hard-working Joel Zeiner on drums.

Uptown Toodeloo String Band
Tapping into the bluegrass roots of Jerry Garcia and the renowned acoustic leanings of the Dead, UTSB offers a festive string-band take on the Good Ol' Grateful Dead oeuvre. Uptown is fronted by Golden resident and acoustic guitar-slinger and songsmith Chris Thompson, who also heads the Golden-based jamgrass outfit Coral Creek. The ensemble, which performs when it can, has also showcased members of various other Colorado-centered Dead acts including Dead Phish Orchestra and the Rocky Mountain Grateful Dead Revue.