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Talking with the band

4 Points asked Grateful Dead tribute bands from California, Boston and beyond why they do what they do. Here are the (sometimes) succinct responses to, “Why do you play Grateful Dead songs?”

➤ Vic DeRobertis, lead guitarist for Playing Dead (Boston):

“A good Grateful Dead cover band is completely different from, say, a good Van Halen or Guns N’ Roses cover band. Those bands try to duplicate the performance, learn the guitar solo note for note, the correct vocal inflections, sound like the record, etc. They do it the same way every show.”

When we play a given Dead tune, we never do it exactly the same way. … That is the true musical spirit of the Grateful Dead — you never knew what they would play or how well they would play it, and that’s why people came to see them over and over and why the band never became bored after 30 years.”

➤ Michael Pandiscio, vocals and guitarist for Big Rhythm Wine (Massachusetts):

“Dead music is why I took the time to learn to play guitar. It’s also Americana music, country and western, rock, blues and folk. It’s a little bit of everything with incredible storytelling qualities.”

I can say I have been playing in different cover bands for almost 20 years, and I never tire of playing Dead tunes. Other bands, with other tunes, you get sick of it — but never with these.”

➤ Craig Marshall, guitarist for Cubensis (Los Angeles):

“Some ask, why play Grateful Dead music? For those that know, no answer is necessary. For those that don’t, no answer is possible.”

➤ Anders Alfelt, bassist and vocals for Splintered Sunlight (Philadelphia):

“As a musician, it’s a gratifying experience to be able to honor a tradition while simultaneously exploring new ground. We play songs that are familiar to us and our audience, but we never play them the same way twice.”

➤ Joe Don Eason, keyboardist for Better Off Dead (North Carolina):

“Within the structure of every song the Grateful Dead played/recorded, the individual musicians were given the freedom to play what they wanted and felt like playing. The license to perform the music as you feel it, at that moment, is an absolute blessing to the musician.”