Cleveland based JiMiller band to play monthly Grateful Dead tribute show at the Outpost this weekend.

Credit: Allan Lamb

Take my advice — you’d be better off dead if you don’t come to the Outpost this Friday to see the JiMiller Band, who will be dedicating an entire set to the Grateful Dead.

Although they normally play original material, the band also plays monthly Grateful Dead tributes. They do not try to replicate the Dead, however.

“It’s just us doing it our own way,” says Jim Miller.

The band keeps all the notes and rhythm the same, yet still maintains a uniquely JiMiller Band sound.

The band’s Grateful Dead tribute shows often go on for up to four and a half hours and draw people who travel from all parts of the region to see them. Being a jam band, the JiMiller Band’s music has some roots in that of the Dead.

Miller explains, “I’ve had a long association, and so has the rest of the band, of having the Grateful Dead influence us.”

The band features Miller on lead vocals and guitar, Brett Miller on bass (no relation to Jim, but a regular inside joke amongst the band), Rick Davidson on guitar, Steve Scheff on keys and Fred Perez-Stable on drums.

In the ’80s, Miller was the front man of Oroboros, the first jam band to come out of the Midwest. While in Oroboros, Miller shared the stage with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter and legends such as Hot Tuna, The Kinks, John Popper, Gov’t Mule, Sheryl Crow, The Allman Brothers and the Steve Miller Band.

Before forming The JiMiller Band, most of the members knew each other from touring together as members of different bands. Since the band formed six years ago they have put out three live albums: Rock and Roll Always Do, Crooked River Grove and Family Roots.

The albums contain a mix of both their own blues, rock, jazz, country and roots tracks as well as covers of the Grateful Dead, The Beatles, Phish and others. Their albums can be purchased and free MP3 samples are available to download on the band’s official Web site www.jimiller.com. The band also hopes to have posters availbe for purchase in the future as well.

The JiMiller Band has played at several music festivals, including the 10,000 Lakes Festival, and has played with the String Cheese Incident, Galactic, Phish, Blues Traveler and Bruce Hornsby.

The JiMiller Band will be playing their Grateful Dead set this Friday, at the Outpost, located at 4962 Route 43 in Kent. Cover charges are $6 for 18 and over and $4 for 21 and over.

Contact pop arts reporter Allan Lamb at [email protected].