Max Creek is celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The band kicked off its anniversary celebration this past weekend with performances in Costa Rica from January 20-22. Max Creek guitarist Scott Murawski has performed with Bill Kreutzmann in his trio over the years and the Grateful Dead drummer also made the trip for Jungle Jam. Thursday saw Kreutzmann sit in with Creek on a few songs during the second set, taking turns pairing with drummers Greg DeGuglielmo (“Franklin’s Tower” and “Blood Red Roses”) and Greg Vasso (“Don’t Do It” and “You Let Me Down Again”). Then on Saturday, in Kreutzmann’s honor, Max Creek devoted most of its second set to Grateful Dead material, starting out with Kreutzmann as the lone drummer and then DeGuglielmo joining in a bit later. Creek opened with “Eyes of the World” and also offered such songs as “Truckin’,” “Ramble on Rose,” “China Cat Sunflower,” and “Bertha.” The event closed out on Saturday night with Kreutzmann replacing Vasso during “Deep Elem Blues” and “You’re The Only One” late in the second set before the weekend culminated with both of Max Creek’s drummers back in place for “Just A Rose” and the “Back Porch Boogie Blues” encore.

This coming Friday Max Creek is back on home soil for a show in Pawtucket, RI at The Met.