About Gonzo Jams

My name is Alex Falls. I’m a writer and an avid music fan with a particular fascination: jam bands.

At age 29, everything changed for me when I became a Deadhead. While music had always been an important aspect of my life, the Grateful Dead opened my mind to the universe and sent me on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening.

Five years into my journey, I’ve become inspired to combine my love of this music with my passion for writing to tell the stories that lie beneath the surface of this often misunderstood form of expression and the many bands that carry on the tradition.

My experience is not unique. Many others have been touched by these bands and their music. I try to use my perspective to capture what’s happening in the room, but this site is not about me. My ultimate goal is to highlight the musical experience and the love that keeps countless people, including myself, excited to get back on the road time and time again.

Take the ride with me at Gonzo Jams!

My Jam Band Show History

Did we go to any of the same shows? Reach out and let’s talk about it! I’d love to hear your story and possibly include it in my next piece!

I’m based in Richmond, VA, but I look forward to taking my adventures on the road whenever possible, so I’d love to connect with locals and wanderers alike.

Formative Shows (‘19 - ‘22)

11/08/19: Dead & Company- Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
08/18/21: Dead & Company- Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA
10/26/21: Live Dead ‘69- Beacon Theater, Hopewell, VA (Tom Constanten, Mark Karan, Slick Aguilar, Pete Lavezzoli, Paul Avrutin)
03/26/22: Dark Star Orchestra- The National, Richmond, VA
05/20/22: Suggesting Rhythm- Brown’s Island, Richmond, VA (Local Dead Tribute, River Rock Festival)
07/08/22: Dead & Company- Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA
10/08/22: Bob Weir & Wolf Bros- Kennedy Center, Washington DC (with the National Symphony Orchestra)
11/17-18/22: Dark Star Orchestra- The National, Richmond, VA (25th Anniversary Tour)

Open the Flood Gates (‘23)

01/20/23: New Potato Caboose + Suggesting Rhythm- Beacon Theater, Hopewell, VA
02/10/23: Bob Weir & Wolf Bros- Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (feat. Mikaela Davis)
02/25/23: Suggesting Rhythm- Canal Club, Richmond, VA
03/17/23: Phil Lesh & Friends- Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY (Rick Mitarotonda, John Medeski, Grahame Lesh, Nicki Bluhm, James Casey, Katie Jacoby, John Molo)
04/01-02/23: Kooler Heads + Grateful Dogz + Suggesting Rhythm- Cable 5D Farm, Sandston, VA (Stevestock)
04/18-19/23: Barely Dead- Main Line Brewery, Richmond, VA (Dead Tribute from Boston)
04/20/23: Suggesting Rhythm- Main Line Brewery, Richmond, VA
05/11/23: JRAD- Ting Pavillion, Charlottesville, VA
05/12/23: Stellar Rose- Main Line Brewery, Richmond, VA (Local Dead Tribute)
05/19/23: Trongone Brothers Southern Swamp Revue- The Broadberry, Richmond, VA (Dead + Skynyrd Tribute)
05/30/23: Dead & Company- PNC Music Pavillion, Charlotte, NC (The Final Tour)
06/01/23: Dead & Company- Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raliegh, NC (The Final Tour)
06/03/23: Dead & Company- Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, VA (The Final Tour)
06/09/23: The Disco Biscuits- The National, Richmond, VA
06/24/23: Suggesting Rhythm- The Broadberry, Richmond, VA
08/12/23: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong + Circles Around the Sun + Eggy + Dogs in a Pile + Yam Yam- Brown’s Island, Richmond, VA (Jampacked Festival)
08/26/23: Dead Meat- Cobra Cabana, Richmond, VA (Dead Tribute from NY)
09/06/23: Tand- Get Tight Lounge, Richmond, VA
09/10/23: String Cheese Incident- Richmond Raceway, Richmond, VA
09/13/23: Bob Weir & Wolf Bros- Ting Pavillion, Charlottesville, VA
09/17/23: Otiel Burbridge & Friends (Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, Duane Bettes, Johnny Kimock, Jason Crosby) + Grateful Gospel (Keller Williams, John Kadlecik)- Browns Island, Richmond, VA
09/18/23: Trey Anastasio & Classic TAB- The National, Richmond, VA
09/23/23: Suggesting Rhythm- The Broadberry, Richmond, VA
09/28/23: Local Dead People- Main Line Brewery, Richmond, VA (Members of Kendall Street Company and Sisters and Brothers)
10/03/23: Zach Zugent’s Dead Set + Hashlight (Local Acoustic Dead Tribute)- The Camel, Richmond, VA
10/18/23: Falco & Book Play Garcia- The Broadberry, Richmond, VA (Andy Falco and Travis Book of the Infamous Stringdusters Tribute to Jerry)
10/19/23: Yam Yam- River City Roll, Richmond, VA
10/21/23: Grass is Dead + Hashbury Collective- River City Roll, Richmond, VA
10/27/23: Wolph- Main Line Brewery, Richmond, VA (Local Dead Tribute)
11/03/23: Barely Dead + Craigslist Jerry- Main Line Brewery, Richmond, VA
11/08/23: Deadgrass- Cultural Arts Center, Glen Alen, VA (Bluegrass Jerry Tribute)
11/09/23: The Garcia Project- The Broadberry, Richmond, VA (JGB Tribute)
11/11/23: Better Off Dead- Main Line Brewery, Richmond, VA (Baltimore Dead Tribute)
11/18/23: JRAD- The Anthem, Washington DC
12/02-03/23: Suggesting Rhythm- Richmond Music Hall, Richmond, VA
12/08-09/23: Goose- Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA (Goosemas)

Birth of Gonzo Jams (‘24)

01/14/24: Umphrey’s McGee- The National, Richmond, VA
01/19/24: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong + Saxsquatch- The National, Richmond, VA
01/20/24: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong + Yam Yam- The National, Richmond, VA
02/10/24: Last Fair Deal- Ember Music Hall, Richmond, VA (VA Beach Dead Tribute)
03/12-13/24: Tedeschi Trucks Band- Altria Theater, Richmond, VA
03/20/24: Spafford- The Broadberry, Richmond, VA
03/28/24: Barely Dead- Main Line Brewery, Richmond, VA
04/18/24: Mikaela Davis & Southern Star- Get Tight Lounge, Richmond, VA
04/20/24: The Infamous Stringdusters- The Broadberry, Richmond, VA (Broadberry 10th Anniversary Block Party)
04/24/24: LaMP- The Broadberry, Richmond, VA
05/10/24: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country- Brown’s Island, Richmond, VA
05/10/24: Pink Talking Fish- The National, Richmond, VA
05/17/24: Sam Grisman Project- Brown’s Island, Richmond, VA
06/06/24: Last Fair Deal- Rockin’ at Indy, Midlothian, VA
06/25/24: Trey Anastasio + National Symphony Orchestra- Filene Center at Wolf Trap, Vienna VA
06/28/24: The Walton Family Band- Brambly Park, Richmond, VA
07/07/24: Leftover Salmon + Railroad Earth- Maymont, Richmond, VA
07/10/24: Suggesting Rhythm- Hardywood Brewery, Richmond, VA
08/10/24: Jampacked Festival (Greensky Bluegrass + Kitchen Dwellers + Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country + Sicard Hollow + Kind Hearted Strangers)- Brown’s Island, Richmond, VA
08/15-18/24: Phish- The Woodlands of Dover International Speedway, Dover, DE (Mondegreen)
08/23/24: LaMP- The Broadberry, Richmond, VA
08/28/24: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard + Geese- Brown’s Island, Richmond, VA
09/09/24: Goose- Ting Pavillion, Charlottesville, VA
09/13/24: Dark Star Orchestra- Maymont, Richmond, VA
09/26/24: Warrne Haynes Band- The National, Richmond, VA
10/03/24: JRAD- Ting Pavillion, Charlottesville, VA
11/24/24: Melvin Seals & JGB- Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, VA
12/07/24: Jazz is Dead- City Winery, Philadelphia, PA
12/20/24: Runaway Gin- Richmond Music Hall, Richmond, VA (Phish tribute)
12/30/24: The Infamous Stringdusters- The National, Richmond, VA
12/31/24: The Infamous Stringdusters- The National, Richmond, VA

Let the Good Times Roll (‘25)

01/24/25: Half-Step Getaway- Ripple Ray’s, Richmond, VA
02/22/25: Suggesting Rhythm- The Canal Club, Richmond, VA
03/05/25: moe.- Jefferson Theatre, Charlottesville, VA