Get excited Jerry Garcia lovers, because The Garcia Project is coming to Eugene for two nights of music at the WOW Hall on March 20 and 21. Known for their authentic recreations of classic Jerry Garcia Band shows, the group is more than just a tribute act — they are on a mission to keep Garcia’s spirit alive, one setlist at a time.
For Mik Bondy, founder, guitarist and vocalist for The Garcia Project, playing in Eugene always feels like a homecoming.
Eugene holds deep significance in the history of the countercultural movement, serving as a home base for American novelist Ken Kesey and his followers the Merry Pranksters. The Merry Pranksters were a countercultural group known for LSD-fueled adventures in their psychedelic bus, “Furthur.” They were linked to the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia, who played live music at their Acid Tests, gatherings that influenced the psychedelic movement. The Pranksters operated near Eugene, where Kesey lived on a farm in Pleasant Hill.
“Every time we come back, Oregon just feels like home,” Bondy said. “And then, of course, you have WOW Hall and the Pranksters. It’s always a crazy time.”
The band’s upcoming tour will celebrate Garcia’s timeless music while embracing the playful, freewheeling energy of the Pranksters. According to Bondy, last year, original Pranksters, Carolyn “Mountain Girl” Garcia and Ken Babbs kicked off the Eugene run of their tour with a psychedelic poetry performance, accompanied by the band’s improvisational soundscapes.
“You never trust a Prankster, so you never know what’s going to happen,” Bondy said. “But we’re working on making each night special.”
The Garcia Project has built a reputation for its dedication to historical accuracy, studying recordings to match the nuances of different eras of the Jerry Garcia Band. According to Bondy, the group switches between various setlists from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, ensuring no two shows are the same.
“If we come through a place more than once, we’ll look back at what we played before and pick a different era,” Bondy said. “One night might be a ’76 or ’77 show, and the next could be an ’83 show. Even if the songs overlap, the arrangements, feel and energy are totally different.”
Bondy, who first saw the Grateful Dead in 1987, credits Garcia’s music with shaping his life. He recalls a friend urging him to check out Garcia’s solo band after a Grateful Dead show, and from that moment on, he was hooked.
“Jerry’s music moves and touches a lot of people,” Bondy said. “Even after all these years, we still listen to shows we’re about to recreate and get blown away by his brilliance. His guitar playing, the soulfulness of his voice — it’s what keeps bringing us back.”
More than just musicians, Bondy and his partner, vocalist Kat Walkerson, view The Garcia Project as their life’s work. According to Bondy, they’ve performed alongside former Jerry Garcia Band members like Melvin Seals, Jackie LaBranch and Maria Muldaur, who have praised their dedication to keeping the music alive.
“We’re fans, too,” Bondy said. “We miss Jerry Band as much as anyone, and we just want to get together with people who feel the same way and celebrate this music.”
Bondy said that the Eugene shows will feature the return of The Psychedelic Express, a full-hall light show designed by Ken “The Godfather of Light” Roberts, ensuring a fully immersive experience. With the Prankster legacy woven into the fabric of the event, the two-night Eugene run promises to be more than just a concert — it’s a gathering of kindred spirits.
“This is all we want to do,” Bondy said. “We just want to keep it going for folks to enjoy.”
Tickets for The Garcia Project’s March 20 and 21 shows at WOW Hall are available now.
Editor’s note: This story was altered to fix a factual error.
