Renowned Athens, Georgia cover band Cosmic Charlie kept on truckin’ through Chucktown on Saturday night! Since hearing my parents play their records when I was a young girl, I have been a huge fan of the American psychedelic-rock band the Grateful Dead. Because of this, I honestly thought a cover band could not possibly do the original any sort of justice. I was wrong, dead wrong.
If you are on the fence about cover bands, which tend to have some stigma, I must honestly say that this band will crush any ambivalence you’ve got! Ever since I attended their show at the Pour House in January 2014, I have been hooked. Last year, their tour was a magical combination of Pink Floyd’s 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon intertwined with the Grateful Dead’s classic jams. Needless to say, it blew my mind. This year, however, they took a different spin and centered the set list more around the jams that give us all that stupid grin on our faces and chills down our spines. It was a night of “Hi Energy Dead,” which consisted of exactly what you want out of the Grateful Dead’s massive discography. Opening with the coincidental classic that we all know and love, “One More Saturday Night,” and following with the anthem “Sugaree,” I knew we were off and running. As the first set progressed, they put their own special improvisational twists on my personal favorites, “Shakedown Street” and “Ramble On Rose.” Also, you can’t go wrong when you have two kickass drummers.
What I love most about Deadheads is that many generations come out to appreciate the music and share common ground, each feeling nostalgic about in their own way. The community that has developed through the decades is extraordinary, and it’s bands like Cosmic Charlie that keep the legend that is the Grateful Dead on the map! I wish I had the chance to stay for the full second set because these guys really rock. Definitely keep an eye out for the next time they pass through the Lowcountry.
To listen to my favorite GD song, click on the SoundCloud link above!