Published: July 17, 2008 10:03 am      

MUSIC: Mickey Hart Band plays Thursday at the Square

BY ALYSSA HARPST

nightandday@gnnewspaper.com

Deadheads, get ready.

Famed drummer Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead plays Thursday in the Square tonight with the Mickey Hart Band.

Buffalo marks the 12th stop on the band’s first major tour together, and two weeks in, it’s been nothing short of a success.

“It’s going really well,” Hart said. “We have some new songs, high enthusiasm and we’ve had a very good fan response. It’s really exciting.”

The tour features songs written by Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter and a mix of old favorites as well as some new tracks.

“We’ve found a good mixture between Grateful Dead songs and new (songs),” Hart said. “It’s really an extension of Grateful Dead, and the fans have just followed. It’s amazing the impact the Dead has had. I could tell the group had power from the beginning.”

Beyond performing, Hart has taken an active role at the Smithsonian and Library of Congress in the preservation of music and aural archives.

“Music is the history of culture,” he said. “It contains the heart. These recordings are deteriorating. My job is to find and digitize them before they are lost, and allow access for people to enjoy them. It’s something of great interest to me, and people are happy I am doing this.”

Hart has also long been a social activist in the healing power of music, putting songs on the same level as non-traditional methods such as art and occupational therapy.

“Music is becoming medicine,” he said. “With this, it’s strictly science on how music affects the brain. It’s exciting to see how music can be used as a healing tool.”

Hart discovered the power music had on people by observing the audiences at concerts.

“Just watching how people reacted when we played,” he said, “it was pretty obvious early on.”

Hart enjoys his roles outside of playing music, which keep him active and balanced when he works with people, he said.

Right now, Hart’s main focus is the Mickey Hart Band, but more projects are on the way. This fall, he is once again bringing together the members of the Global Drum Project, a collaboration of some of the world’s most talented percussionists.

As for tonight’s performance, the band is looking forward to performing for its Western New York fans.

“It’s really exciting,” said Hart. “And we’re really behind these songs. We’re going to give Buffalo some good stuff.”



IF YOU GO

* WHAT: Mickey Hart Band concert

* WHEN: 6 tonight

* WHERE: Thursday in the Square, Lafayette Square, Buffalo

* MORE INFORMATION: Call 856-3150 or visit buffaloplace.com