photo by Steve Kiebus
This past Sunday, California guitarist Matt Hartle, a member of the Santa Cruz-based Grateful Dead tribute act China Cats, hosted his weekly free concert—dubbed Grateful Sundays—at Michael’s On Main in Soquel, CA, and the performance packed a special punch with the inclusion of Jerry Garcia’s famed “Wolf” guitar.
Brian Halligan, who purchased Wolf at an auction at Brooklyn Bowl in 2017 that raised money for the Southern Poverty Law Center, lent the guitar to Hartle and his band (as he has done with Dark Star Orchestra and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead in the past), and members of the crowd also had the chance to hold the iconic instrument.
Playing Wolf in one of the most intimate venues that the guitar has seen in its storied career, Hartle—along with a band featuring guitarist Jim Lewin, bassist Roger Sideman and drummer Bret Bailey—ran through a set of Grateful Dead favorites and one original tune.
Watch a video from the evening below, courtesy of photographer Steve Kiebus.
5 Comments comments associated with this post
User123
March 7, 2019 at 3:32 pmSo they’ll pretty much let just anyone play Wolf?
TArch
March 7, 2019 at 9:45 pmHad the same thought. This dude is not qualified to play Wolf!
Grateful Cruzer
March 8, 2019 at 12:48 amCheck the hate at the door. This world needs more love, kindness, & sharing. That’s what our community is about. The owner of Wolf is sharing the gift of this guitar being played again with all of us Heads. Better than being in a safe somewhere never to be seen or heard from again. Matt Hartle & Friends are talented musicians sharing their love of this music with us every week in an original & spontaneous form. It is refreshing to hear the Dead’s cannon from all sorts of musical perspectives and Matt and his rotating Friends bring that Every time in full joyful force while staying true and authentic to themselves and the music we all love. I go to Grateful Sunday in Santa Cruz every week with my son & friends. Our community is many generations strong and still vibrant – that’s why Jerry’s guitar was there – that’s why we are all there!. That night was magical. But so is every Grateful Sunday thanks to all of us! Thank you Brian for sharing the guitar. Thank you Matt for playing every week. Thank you Michael’s on Main for hosting Grateful Sunday for free every week! Thank you friends for continuing to show up, boogie down, & be kind to eachother! That’s what it’s all about!
August West
May 28, 2019 at 2:46 amPretty much hit the nail in the head. Having Matt with his Grateful Sunday’s is an absolute treasure. Thanks Matt,Michael and others that make this such a fun event. Missed the Wolf show but snaged the show off internetarchive.org.
Evan
March 8, 2019 at 2:59 pmAnyone but you, asshat. Don’t comment on what you know nothing about.