Photo Credit: Jon Sievert

The Jerry Garcia Foundation, in partnership with Starchive, has announced an archival project to persevere the historical and artistic contributions of Jerry Garcia. In celebration of the launch, they will also host a benefit concert on Aug. 1, in honor of the legend’s 80th birthday, at Blue Note Napa in Sonoma County, Calif., with music performed by the David Nelson Band. On the same day and across the country, Yankee Stadium will also honor the San Francisco legend’s birthday with Jerry Garcia Bobblehead Night.

Starchive is the technology partner for The Jerry Garcia Archive Project. Created by Peter Agelasto–currently serving as the lead archivist on the project–he originally developed the platform to organize and store digital content for his personal artistic endeavors. Agelasto applied his innovation to the Bob Dylan Archive in 2021, prior to the culmination of the Garcia project, using the hack to enrich fans’ experience interacting with historical material.

Agelasto shared his thoughts behind the project; he offered, “Building this collection with Jerry’s family and global fan base is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see how emerging web3 technologies influence and enrich the artist/fan/collaboration/experiment.” He continued, “No one has innovated more in this creative communal space than Jerry Garcia, and I’m grateful to help serve this culturally significant initiative around one of my favorite musicians and artists.”

Coupled with the archival launch is a musical reception happening on what would be the late-Garcia’s 80th birthday. The Aug. 1 event will benefit the Jerry Garcia Foundation and take place at the stunning Blue Note venue in Napa Valley. Music will be performed by Garcia’s former New Riders of the Purple Sage bandmate, David Nelson, who will deliver a set of music alongside his band. 

Also happening on Aug. 1, Yankee Stadium will celebrate what would be Garcia’s 80th birthday with Jerry Garcia Bobblehead Night. The first 1,000 fans to purchase a special event ticket will receive the collectible Garcia figurine, adorned in a Yankees jersey. Portions of the ticket sales will benefit the Grateful Dead’s longtime non-profit, Rex Foundation. 

A limited number of standing tickets are available for the reception at Blue Note Napa featuring David Nelson Band. To secure access to the forthcoming event, visit ticketweb.com. 

For those interested in attending Jerry Garcia Bobblehead Night at Yankee Stadium, visit mlb.com to purchase tickets.

In celebration of the legend’s 80th birthday, read Relix’s Aug. 1980 interview with Garcia.