photos by Steve Rood

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In what has become an annual April tradition over the past several years–interrupted only by the pandemic- the Skull & Roses Festival once again descended upon the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, California to celebrate the spirit of the Grateful Dead.  This year’s installment was a four-day affair (under serendipitously warm and perfect SoCal skies), with each 12-hour run of music reflecting the Dead’s healthy penchant for great parties.  This year’s bash, however, separated itself from the previous as it featured a performance, for the first time, by a member of the Dead; in this case, Phil Lesh and Friends, closing the fest with a headline set on Sunday night.  In between Thursday’s kickoff with Legion of Mario and the Lesh finale, there was NBA legend and lifelong Deadhead Bill Walton joining Oteil Burbridge and Friends, two sets from Dark Star Orchestra re-creating Grateful Dead’s 4/8/72 London show- 50 years to the day, memorable appearances by Reckoning, Melvin Seals & JGB, Circles Around the Sun, and The Soul Rebels plus, fittingly, a parade each night centered around the day’s theme- Egyptian Nights; Chinese New Year; New Year’s Eve; Mardi Gras.  Even Jerry Garcia’s famed Fender guitar, “Alligator,” popped up in multiple capable hands, adding a nice touch of sentiment and sonic connection to the variety of Grateful Dead fandom and history on display throughout the Fairgrounds; a lovingly curated four days of music and fun on the beach in Ventura honoring one of the Golden State’s most enduring favorite sons.