Show Review - Jerry's Middle Finger 5/11/24 Toronto, ON

Jerry Garcia Band tribute Jerry’s Middle Finger made their Canadian debut last night at Toronto’s Velvet Underground, bringing their polished and honed sound north of the border on their first-ever east coast tour.

The California-based sextet delivered two sets of JGB magic, nailing the grooves and tones of the incredible band with practiced ease.

From the first notes of “Cats Under the Stars,” the amazing harmonies of guitarist Garrett Deloian and vocalists Lisa Malsberger and Halina Janusz called to mind the later-era JGB sound of the backing vocalists.

The first set really took off during “They Love Each Other,” where keyboardist Jon Gold unleashed a massively energetic organ solo, bringing the energy of the crowd higher and higher over the steady backbeat of drummer Rodney Newman and bassist Son Vo.

Deloian’s guitar solos throughout the night saw him nail the essence of Jerry, both in tone and playing – hitting several familiar licks across the show that sounded as if the Grateful Dead guitarist himself was playing in the room.

A distinct highlight of the show came with “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” deep in the second set, where the packed crowd sang along with the band, adding to the outpouring of joy already present from the band.

Sometimes in my endless chase for deep jams I can forget how powerful the music of the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Band is when played straight, focusing on having a good time rather than exploration – and last night was a fantastic reminder of this.

Jerry’s Middle Finger continues their east coast trek this week – catch them if they’re nearby!