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Phil Lesh Confirms New Venue Details

Phil Lesh has officially announced the opening of Terrapin Crossroads. Located in San Rafael, CA, the club will function as Marin County’s answer to Levon Helm’s Midnight Rambles as well as a fully operational restaurant. Terrapin Crossroads’ restaurant will open in February, and the space’s intimate venue is expected to open shortly after. San Rafael served as the Grateful Dead’s management headquarters from 1970-1995. The Dead played a few historical shows in the San Rafael area and recorded several of the later day releases in the area at Club Front studios. Terrapin Crossroads will be located at the old The Seafood Peddler restaurant, where Furthur actually rehearsed in recent years. When the Lesh’s found the studio space, a Steal Your Face logo was already drawn on the building’s foundation.

The club will consist of two main areas, the Grate Room and The Dining Room. Music will be held in the space’s Grate Room. A note from the venue’s camp explains:

We will present live music of all types, from Phil Lesh & Friends shows with world-class guest artists to “Rambles” (modeled on Levon Helm’s legendary Midnight Rambles) with the Lesh Family Ramble Band, and “Terrapin All-Stars” featuring a rotating cast of fantastic local talent. We will host Big-Band dance nights, Jazz with wine tasting (hey, we are just south of Sonoma and Napa…), Latin or Salsa nights, “Telstar” free form jam nights, Sunday morning brunch featuring sacred music from around the world, and much more. In the grand tradition of the Bay Area’s best ballrooms, the Grate Room will add a spectacular dimension to the Bay Area’s live music scene. Be sure to check the TC calendar often, as we plan to announce shows frequently with a very busy schedule throughout the Spring and Summer of 2012. In the Fall of 2012, we’ll be closing down the Grate Room for a major renovation, with a grand re-opening targeted for March, 2013, when we’ll be ready to provide San Rafael with top quality music for years to come.

The bassist’s Furthur/Dead bandmate Bob Weir is exploring a somewhat similar concept with his TRI studios, though that space is tailored more for webcasts and recording sessions than public shows.