“Next time it’ll be in a theatre,” stated a random friendly last Saturday evening in the pint-sized Sullivan Hall deep down on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

Filled with equal amounts tie-dye and anticipation, the 300-person club was straight-up sold out for a performance by the John K Band. Helmed by former Dark Star Orchestra and current Furthur lead guitarist John Kadlecik, the band plays sporadically in-between Furthur dates mostly in a small radius around Kadlecik’s home base in Maryland. The laid-back ensemble, filled in by part-time jammers Larry Joseloff on bass, Paul Grepps on keyboard, Nathan Graham on drums, Lizzy Friel on backing vocals and Kadlecik’s wife Katie Gaughn on percussion, is perfectly suited to give the guitarist the room he needs to ply his trade in the spotlight.

With a tip of the hat to one of the city’s most famous transplanted residents, the set started with the late-era Lennon world weary jingle, Nobody Told Me. It was a quick start, setting the mood for the familiar yet slightly tweaked grooves that would fill the perfumed club air for the next couple hours. Dipping into his solo repertoire for the next two tunes, Kadlecik showcased his vocal talents. While critics might say his voice lacks distinct elements that would make it instantly recognizable, there is no denying the raw emotion and power that he conveys in song. He serves the material and he does it well. A welcomed Phish cover, The Wedge, barreled through next and clearly the crowd delighted in the familiar refrains and the dance-happy boogie. To be sure, the band itself had a palatable Phish-feel all night. A four-piece with additional percussion, Kadlecik handles rhythm and lead guitar, à la Trey, and the Joseloff’s jaunty bass lines are not unlike Mike Gordon’s work. What followed was a couple of little known Robert Hunter penned gems, American Spring and It’s Alright. By way of introduction, Kadlecik noted that the songs were “probably the heaviest lyrics Hunter has written in the last ten years.” Who could disagree, really? While the Bard’s words still hung in the air, the opening riff from Stir it Up signaled a new gear, shifting the load right into the Motown classic (and Primal Dead stalwart) Second That Emotion. Tight and practiced, Kadlecik clearly reveled in calling the musical shots. The crowd was amped, to say the least. Let’s face it, when the guy in front of you is wearing a Hot Tuna jean jacket you pretty much know you are in for a real good time.

With the Jimmy Cliff classic (oh, yeah, and Jerry Band staple) Harder They Come kicking off the second set the jam was on. With plenty of road for exploration, Kadlecik took the wheel. While some might ponder the existential consequences of a guy sometimes referred to as “Fake Jerry” covering a song in the same manner that The Man himself covered it, the dancing bones and happy souls at Sullivan Hall didn’t tumble down that particular wormhole. When the oft-derided Vince Welnick late-Dead era song Long Way To Go Home followed it up, no one batted an eye. It is clear that Kadlecik embraces his place in the expansive Grateful Dead universe and pays proper homage to the entire cannon. With a tight curfew (another band was on at midnight, Kadlecik himself said as he packed up his own gear), the back-end of the second set featured the Hunter/Garcia classic They Love Each Other followed by a largely instrumental medley that culminated in an aching Sing Me Back Home, Merle Haggard’s plaintive tribute to the humanity of a condemned man. Well, Johnny K nailed it and in doing so he couldn’t help but to bring to mind the early 70’s versions of the ballad that every deadhead knows by rote.
With Furthur rolling again at the beginning of April, it’s not known how much care or attention The John K Band will receive this year. If it does remain a side-project though, at least it’s a worthwhile one.

John K Band setlist, 2-11-12, Sullivan Hall, NYC
Set 1: Nobody Told Me, What’s Become of Mary, Sister Smiles, The Wedge, American Spring, Its Alright, Stir It Up, 2nd That Emotion


Set 2: Harder They Come, Way to Go Home, Seen Love, The Business, They Love Each Other, Desert Trance>YMMV>Sing Me Back Home