The vintage town of Hilo rests on the eastern windward side of Hawaii’s Big Island in a tropical rainforest climate.  The town holds its own unique charm like an ideal setting for a moody 1940s Film Noir.  The town’s buildings seem frozen in a mossy time some dating back to the very early 20th century. It has been washed in time, salt water & history.  The historic Palace Theater on Hailai street, is a gloriously haunted structure that has continued to thrive since its grand opening near the end of the silent film era of 1925.  It stands still as an homage to decades gone by.  Today it has become a place audiences gather to celebrate local culture with theater, film retrospectives and diverse concerts.

On July 29th, 2024, there was a unique concert honoring the life and legacy of Jerry Garcia, the co-founder of the iconic, consequential and transformational band, The Grateful Dead.  What made this concert stand out from a typical Dead tribute was the gathering of musicians with a connection to Garcia and The Dead.  And what gave the evening its cultural edge was the presence and support of lead guitarist, Stephen Inglis.  He is a native Hawaiian who has been best known for his mastery of Slack Key guitar and a string of masterful albums that have maintained the roots of the music while expanding the genre through integration with other forms of American music.  He did this beautifully with an album of Dylan songs. Slackin’ on Dylan.  But most notably,  in 2018, he released the crtically acclaimed, Cut The Dead Some Slack album of Grateful Dead songs done in Slack Key style.  The album confirmed a successful union of The Dead and Slack Key that affirmed the universality of both.  It’s important to note at age 22 in 1998, Inglis played in a regional Kuai tour with Dead drummer, Bill Kreutzmann.  He has continued the musical journey into Delta blues on recordings like “Music is a River.”

The remainder of the musicians in the band named, The Skeleton Krewe All-Star Band, include a stellar showing of skill, experience and jam-band inspiration with enough professional experience between them to fill a Dead-in-Their-Prime stadium.  Barry Sless on second lead and steel guitar has graced the same stage as Bob Weir and the Wolf Brothers, David Nelson and Phil Lesh.  His stringed interchange with Stephen Inglis on lead and steel creates the magic that calls forth the Grateful Dead in their heyday. Every note shared between them on stage sings out love for the skilled and spiritual music of Jerry Garcia. On keyboard and vocals, Rob Barraco  was a member of the post-Jerry Garcia band, The Dead and has also played with Phil Lesh, The Other Ones and he has performed with Chris Robinson.  The veteran British bass man, Pete Sears, paid his dues with Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry and Jefferson Starship.  And drummer Wally Ingram played with Timbuck 3 but is best known for his partnership with David Lindley.  All in all, the band brought their best musical chops with them to this show.  From the first note, it was clear, the audience was in for some timeless musical magic.

Opening the first set with the familiar Dead song “Sugaree” the chemistry and the joy that was shared between the musicians was as palatable, accessible and engaging as the classic song.  The song set the pace for what was to come.  While Jerry Garcia’s approach was always experimental seamlessly weaving country, folk, jazz and rhythm and blues into psychedelic expressions; Garcia also wanted to be known as a singer-songwriter as well as an instrumentalist.  The jam-drenched JGB version of “Sugaree” and the remainder of the two-set show enlarged the Garcia canvas of blending eclectic jams framed in a conventional song structure……even when the lead guitar work between Inglis and Sless seemed to roam into abstract, psychedelic patterns, they always returned to starting point found in songs like “Don’t Let Go,” and “I’ll Take a Melody” And both guitarist beautifully replicated Garcia’s affection for slow-walking the guitar work into a frenzied peak by the song’s end.

Throughout the show, the resident Deadheads made their way to the front of the stage to sway and dance in an acid dream manner that could easily send sober audience members into flashbacks of former days and classic Grateful Dead shows.  It’s hard to argue with fans so loyal to the memory of Jerry Garcia that they can still don their tie-die shirts, head bands and drift between the green back alley by the venue for a cannabis high and then drift back in for a dreamy dance at the front of the stage.

But, if the first set gave the audience the band’s credentials to bring Garcia’s music to a new and vital musical high, it was the second set that gave the show’s concept and execution wings thanks to each band member’s technical and emotional grasp of the music and the space they allowed to bring Stephen Inglis to center stage. It was a fusion of the Grateful Dead with Hawaiian music that became a musical summit on Hilo’s oldest, haunted stage.

Hearing Stephen Inglis sing the Grateful Dead song, “Days Between” in 2024 on this volcanic island in the Pacific was like witnessing an ancient prayer of longing, regret, gratitude and remembrance.  “Days Between” was performed by The Grateful Dead in 1993. It was written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter. The song was transcendent even then as the writers looked back on days long behind them. Resurrected on this night was mind-blowing in a completely drug free way.

For this show, at this time in our world history as we walk the fine line between chaos and order, joy and despair, the song became a plea from the heart of Jerry Garcia’s legacy for us to find the meaning that is present before us beyond the divisive and mean-spiritedness of our times.  Inglis and the band of merry skillful and talented music makers became just the right instrument that pointed the way to the passion and joy that Jerry Garcia found so many years ago during the best of times and the worst of times as he slipped away before our eyes.  The Grateful Dead could only scatter musically and take different forms in future years with projects like The Other Ones and Dead & Company.

But on this night, for this show for the sorely missed Jerry Garcia; these musicians, this audience, the ancient, shattered venue and old Hilo town, stranded in time, became a musical portal that allowed us all to experience the joy and redemption that only comes through music and community.

The How Sweet It Is Tour will continue in Hawaii in September 2024. 

here were days
and there were days
and there were days between
Summer flies and August dies
and the world grows dark and mean
Comes the shimmer of the moon
on black infested trees
the singing man is at his song
the holy on their knees
The reckless are out wrecking
The timid plead their pleas
No one knows much more of this
than anyone can see anyone can see
There were days
and there were days
and there were days besides
when phantom ships with phantom sails
set to sea on phantom tides
Comes the lightning of the sun
on bright unfocused eyes
the blue of yet another day
a springtime wet with sighs
a hopeful candle lingers
in the land of lullabies
where headless horsemen vanish
with wild and lonely cries lonely cries
There were days
and there were days
and there were days I know
when all we ever wanted
was to learn and love and grow
Once we grew into our shoes
we told them where to go
Walked halfway around the world
on promise of the glow
Stood upon a mountain top
Walked barefoot in the snow
Gave the best we had to give
How much we’ll never know
There were days
and there were days
and there were days between
polished like a golden bowl
The finest ever seen
Hearts of Summer held in trust
still tender, young and green
left on shelves collecting dust
not knowing what they mean
Valentines of flesh and blood
as soft as velveteen
hoping love would not forsake
the days that lie between
lie between