Ten Jam-Band Moments for People Who Hate Jam Bands

There may be no genre more derided than that of the jam band. There also may be no genre less defined. Are any bands who improvise onstage live jam bands? Must their fans smell afoul and have long, unwashed hair? Does incense have to be involved somehow? What about some funky guitar noodling from a white dude with a beard?

Regardless of jam-band music having no real boundaries, haters, as they say, gotta hate. But rest assured, Phishophobics, there’s more to jam bands than you think. Here are 10 Jam Band Moments For People Who Hate Jam Bands. Or, if you will, your gateway drug to the world of the jam.

1. Grateful Dead, “Touch of Grey” video: Do you like The Shins, Paste Reader? Of course you do. With 1987’s “Touch of Grey,” the band that started it all dove skull-first into the mainstream with a catchy, totally twee pop song. Plus, the song’s got a message everyone can dig: “I will get by. I will survive.”

2. Phish covers: The Grateful Dead played their fair share of cover songs, but Phish take the art of imitation to a new level. Traditionally, the band will cover an entire album on Halloween (this year, they played The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street), but the band will often throw in an unexpected cover for the folks who were dragged to the show by their hippie friend. Check out Phish playing TV on the Radio’s “Golden Age”:

3. The Allman Brothers, “Melissa”: Songs rarely come more gorgeous than the Allman Brothers’ classic acoustic ballad from the otherwise jam-heavy Eat a Peach. If you dig Ryan Adams, The Avett Brothers, Ben Kweller or any other bleeding heart sorta-country dude, then go right to the source.

4. Keller Williams’ stage show: Most jams involve lots of intricate parts played by many different players. A Keller Williams show involves lots of intricate parts played by Keller Williams. The lightning-fast guitarist endlessly loops his playing onstage using a handful of pedals, eventually creating a veritable symphony of frenetic melodies. Think Andrew Bird (complete with whistling), but danceable.

5. The Black Crowes: Sure, The Black Crowes burst out with “Hard to Handle.” But that was two decades ago. Today, the band jams with the best of ’em, shifting their driving blues-rock into some pretty psychedelic territory, regularly playing at jam festivals. Still, the classics count:

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6. Bonnaroo: In Bonnaroo’s first year, 2002, Widespread Panic headlined both Friday and Saturday night, and the most mainstream-friendly act was Norah Jones. In the eight years since, the music festival has grown to include acts as diverse as Bruce Springsteen and Girl Talk, but the jam foundation still remains.

7. Robert Randolph and the Family Band: While the words “jam band” may be divisive among music geeks, few people have the gall to hate on jam’s groovier cousin, funk. Like Sly and the Family Stone before him, Robert Randolph brings the heat—slap bass, shout-along choruses, and pedal steel guitar.

8. moe., “Nebraska”: moe. isn’t exactly known for its pop music, but that’s exactly what this 1998 ode to the oft-forgotten state is: short, fun, infinitely hummable and containing only one guitar solo!

9. Pearl Jam: From Grunge to Jam: No one would’ve guessed in 1992 that these long-haired flannel dudes singing about a violent grade-school kid would eventually become “alternative” rock’s answer to the jam universe. But they did, and now play epic shows with huge jams and a worldwide, almost Grateful Dead-level following.

10. The Grateful Dead’s American Beauty: Just like a good, long jam, this list comes full circle. Decry the Dead’s extended live songs (personal favorite, the 36-minute “St. Stephen” from May 8, 1977) if you will, but American Beauty is just that: a tight, gorgeous, near-perfect classic rock album, including possibly the band’s best-known song, “Truckin.’” If you like rock ‘n’ roll, you will like American Beauty.