Fifty years on and former Grateful Dead band mates Bob Weir and Phil Lesh just keep truckin'. They bring their improvisational collection of timeless Dead tunes and spirited covers to Boca Raton's Mizner Park Amphitheater this evening. Just down Federal Highway, like-minded groovesters will be looking to keep the positive vibes flowing. Starting at 11 p.m., Fort Lauderdale quintet the Heavy Pets will entertain the crowd at Hooligans for an after party. Earnest in a '70s Dead kind of way, and spastic like Phish in its '90s heyday, we are sure that fans of jam bands will find much to love in the Heavy Pets' set.
Still need convincing? Well, here are five more reasons why you should suck it in and take the party one step Furthur.
1. It's what Ken Kesey and Neal Cassady would do.
Embody the '60s counterculture ethos that sparked the start of
Grateful Dead and let yourself go with the flow this night. If you are any kind of former Deadhead (or post-Dead Phish Phan)
worth your weight in gold, by the end
of this night's show you will have amassed quite a hefty buzz. Why pack
it in? Honestly, you know you were not going to make it in on time to
work tomorrow anyways. Throw caution to the wind. Sure it's the middle
of the week, but with a buzz like you have going, you may need "One More
Saturday Night."
2. Tickets are a steal at only $5.
Due to number one, you'll probably be a little low on funds.
Understood. No worries though, you won't have to go walking around
Hooligans parking lot with your pointer finger up shouting out for a
"miracle." Tickets are a plenty for the Heavy Pets' gig and are going
for only five bucks for those who bring in their Furthur ticket stubs.
3. Environmentally conscious distance from Mizner Park.
Any
respectable Deadhead will be concerned about his/her carbon footprint. No
sweat brother, Hooligan's is only a stone's throw from Mizner Park. A
five minute walk at most. This point works in conjunction with the other
two previous points actually. We already established the fact that you
are three sheets to the wind at this point, so maybe it's best that you
walk it off a bit and enjoy the grooving sounds of Heavy Pets while your
high wears off. Number two, you'll be saving on gas by avoiding the
stop-and-go of traffic that will likely occur from fans exiting the
Amphitheatre. A win-win in our book.
4. Supporting the local scene is good karma.
You already forked over 50-some odd dollars for tickets to
watch storied psychedelic rock legends, why not show some love for young
up-and-comers from Fort Lauderdale -- who also happen to be one of our
area's top jam bands. Also consider its credentials: dubbed one of the
best unsigned bands by High Times, already played Langerado, Bonnaroo,
and Gathering of the Vibes festivals and more that 500 other
gigs, its not like you are watching some amateurish high school band
play. These guys are the real deal. Who knows, years from now you might
be telling war stories to another friend about that time you stumbled
from the Further gig into Hooligans to watch a fresh faced band called
Heavy Pets (we imagine at this point they'll be as big a Phish or at
least moe.)
5. Hooligans is an amazing place to watch a gig.
See for yourself why this new locale in downtown Boca Raton is a legitimate contender for Best Live Music Venue in our 2011 New Times Readers Poll.
Owner Ryan O'Riordan has given this former dumpy, drunken frat guy
haunt -- known as Murphy's Downtown Saloon -- a complete overhaul,
installing a professional grade sound system, concert lighting and an
ample bar with a clear view of the stage. Essentially turning it into
one of Palm Beach County's premier spots to check out live music- big
enough so as to not feel squished like a sardine when the place gets
packed, but just small enough where the shows have an intimate appeal.
The Heavy Pets. 11 p.m. Wednesday, April 6 at Hooligans, 36 SE 3rd St., Boca Raton. Tickets cost $5 with a Furthur stub, $10 without. Click here.
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