Welcome to Deadicated & Friends band page,
Essex County's premier Grateful Dead tribute band! We are a group of "seasoned" deadheads and music lovers that relish in paying tribute to the Grateful Dead! We'll also throw some Phish tunes in there for good spirit and other surprises, and each show is unique! The band is:
Andy Spielman - Guitar
Barry "Bam Bam" Rich - Drums
Brian Maloof - Keyboard
I
an Rappaport - Guitar
Ken Nelson - Bass/Vocal
Mikelle Bliss - Vocal
Steve Margolis - Vocal
Tagus!:
We frequently feature special guest "Friends" to sit in with the band which adds a pretty cool dynamic and shakes things up - shake it
Contact us on Messenger for Bookings! BIOS
Andy Spielman has been on the local music scene for 12 years playing in bands such as The Stiff Joints Band, Punch the Monkey and Stormy Monday blues band. Andy was a founding member of the Allman Brothers Tribute band called Southbound which played all the hot spots in NYC in the 90s! A Dead fan since age 13, it was finally time to channel his musical energy into an awe inspiring tribute to the Dead...
Barry Rich - While being a professional drummer playing the corporate and wedding circuit, Barry Rich is intrigued by the Grateful Dead and is quickly making his way towards "DeadHead" status :) - the perfect backbone for a Tribute to the Dead... He is a master of percussion and handily combined both drum parts into one! If it wasn’t for Jerry Garcia, he would not be playing music today. The Grateful Dead is a constant source of inspiration and enlightenment. Through their music and culture, The Dead have created a sacred communal space of creative gathering and Brian is so honored and ‘grateful’ to be part of this band which strives to capture and celebrate the spirit of the Grateful Dead. Ian Rappaport is a guitarist on the scene with roots in the band 3MI based out of Livingston NJ. Ian is a long time fan of the Dead and says "it is an honor" to be paying tribute to the Dead! Ken Nelson is a long time musician and Deadhead playing keyboard, drums and bass. He has been with the Stormy Monday blues band for almost a decade and is now channeling his "inner Phil" with Deadicated & Friends. Mikelle Bliss is a classically trained, longtime vocalist and even longer time Deadhead! She has been singing with jam band Midnight Rain based in Wayne, NJ since 2010. And now here she is bringing an awesome vibe to Deadicated & Friends!! Steve Margolis has a long-standing, deep love of music. He was fortunate enough to have seen 143 Grateful Dead shows before Jerry's untimely passing.. Prior to Covid, Steve had performed out in Hunterdon County, where he resides, as a solo singer/songwriter, interspersing his own original songs with Grateful Dead and other classic rock songs.
