Melvin Seals and JGB

Really excellent band if you can swing it

55 is a lot of dollars 

You'd really be throwing caution to the wind. JK puts his life on the line to bring you his art. Artiste. 

$55 is a little steep for this band, I wouldn't pay that for a packed bar show but if it's a sweet venue, go to the show!

Screw that.  $30 tops

Break it down. It's less than $15 per hour. They're a tight and fun band. It's up to you whether or not it's worth that much to you.

Compare that to a day of skiing. A lift ticket is $120, and if you go first to last lift, you'll maybe rack up 2 full hours of skiing, 4 hours of freezing on the lift, and 2 hours of wasting ore money in the shop or cafeteria.

It's steep price for just Melvin, but with inflation these days, can't say its extreme.   Compare it to the price of going out to dinner.

On a side note, my buddy is a professional tour bus driver and recently was called in to drive JGB around after their bus broke down.   He said John was actually pretty cool and would hang out up front and tell stories.  He also says Melvin has trouble with jerky and bumpy driving and complemented my friend for his "smooth driving."    The tour bus is a step up from what how he was getting around when he played a small local jamband fest up at Hornings Hideout 20 years ago.   He was driving himself around in a big Suburban towing the gear trailer and spent the afternoon down by the pond with a fishing pole and a big bottle of bourbon.   He was the only paid act on the bill and recall watching him sitting in his Suburban after the show counting his money before taking off. 

HAHAHA !!!

great story Ken, I would sit and fish and sip with Melvin anytime!

I just talked to a friend who is going to the Maine shows, and asked him if he feels that $50 is worth it for Melvin. His response was an unequivocal, "without hesitation, he always puts on a great show."

That is a great story, Ken. All I have is a handshake and a few exchanged pleasantries at a small Denver club in 2015/2016. Seemed like a nice and friendly guy. A friend of mine used to drive a cab in Eugene and picked him up one time. Said he was really cool and tipped well.

I saw them last week and the band is absolutely gelling and firing on all cylinders. JK is on the TOP of his game and the band can totally bring it.  $55 does seem a little steep but you will almost definitely get an absolutely raging night of top notch Jerry band and Grateful Dead songs!

You won't know if you don't go!

My kid seen him at Red Rocks with the Orchestra and really liked the show. It was his first Dead related show, actually I think he bought the tickets for me and my wife before he knew the date we were heading out there. Anyways he thought it was good. 

Seems like a $40 show to me.

and people like dave alvin/jimmy dale are in the $25 market...

I think the cost is relative and it really depends on you.

I've not seen Dead & Company since 2016 cause I'm not sure the cost benefit analysis holds up for me personally. I did see Melvin & JK over memorial day weekend and the band was fantastic.
Questions I'd ask:
 

1. Do you have money?

2. Do you see many shows? Do you have money to see shows?

3. How's the venue? Is it worth paying that money to be there?

4. Are you into JGB material?

5. Would you have just as much fun sitting at home listening to JGB on stereo?

6. Have you done anything fun lately or plan to this year?

Depending on your answers, it could be totally worth it. Or not.

One doesn't have anything to do with the other Turtle, it's supply & demand.

Anyway, I think Dave & Jimmy charge more than $25, which isn't even really enough for a band to make money touring these days.

Melvin's band is really good and a good time. They play all those great songs and play them well, although I do think they're missing something important without the lady singers, and I think JK is really good but that band is probably a little better with a harder-driving fake Jerry like Stu or the flat brim guy.

Still, if you can afford it and don't go into a show measuring it all by every penny you'll likely have a fun time.

I love the material and am sure that the band and the current line-up deliver the goods. I have not seen them since 2019 when they did (still) have female vocalists and JK was not yet on board full-time. I would probably make an effort if they were playing within a fair distance of where I live but everyone has their own orientation and associated  limits. In the mean time, I am stoked to be ticketed for Jerry's Middle Finger in Ventura on Friday! GTTS!!

$55 for Melvin & band? Sure, it's worth it these days. First and foremost, Melvin is a great keyboardist. He's especially good playing the JGB catalog.
He can jam, too. This photo is from 17 years ago with Mindx and Melvin. Unrehearsed and free-from all the way. I was visiting at a hospital nearby and stopped by this gig for a much needed drink. Didn't have my guitar with me and the band asked me to sing a few tunes with them. Mindx players, Marty Holland (bass) and Peter Philis (drums), were both touring with Melvin at the time. The other Mindx players are the great Rick Zamora (guitar) and Sean Barfly (mandolin). Only Rick and Sean remain as original Mindx members now. I played with Melvin a few other times later on and always considered it fun and a privilege to share the stage with him.

The show will be short but probably still worth 55.00.

My only gripe is that since adding JK they do a lot more Dead songs than JGB songs.

I was at the after party at June Lake a couple yrs ago and Melvin held court. He told several stories but the best one was about when he first got the gig with Jerry.  But that story is for another time.