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"Deadheads," -- loyal followers of the music of iconic jam band, The Grateful Dead (1965-1995) -- are alive and well and apparently net-savvy, too. Since 1996, a message board called "Dead Net Central" on the band's official Web site at www.dead.net has engaged deadheads and enabled them to connect, meet up, exchange ideas, and organize national jam events

The third "DeadNet Jam" will be held for the first time in Chicago at the Kinetic Playground on Thursday and Friday. The first two jams were held in the Tampa, Fla. area.

The idea for the concept originated with Berwyn's Doug Hagman, 42, who is the coordinator of the Chicago event. Hagman's well-know band, Terrapin Flyer, will be among the featured acts.

"It's a jam, so it will be a cross-pollination of many different bands and individuals," said Hagman. "There will be a bunch of folks from around the nation coming together, and people from all over Chicagoland, including a lot of people who never saw the band."

Dead veteran
Hagman certainly qualifies as a deadhead, having seen over 100 Grateful Dead shows, and recalls his introduction to the music. "I was 14 years old and went to visit my brother in college in Colorado. He and his friends were into the music, and they took me to my first show."

Hagman had an advantage coordinating the current event because, he said, "I've had the band in Chicago over 7 years now, which allows me to have a lot of contacts in the music community."

The DeadNet Jam will feature two major names in the "dead" world: Tom Constanten, Grateful Dead keyboardist from 1968-1970; and David Gans, host of The Grateful Dead Hour radio show and an accomplished singer-songwriter. Both will perform short solo sets, and then be joined by well-known local and national musicians, including noted blues violinist, Ruby Harris, and former and current members of Cornmeal, Dark Star Orchestra, Terrapin Flyer, Ghost Pilot, and others. Emcee is John Glynn. There will be a regular show each night of the event, followed by an open jam.

Online origin
Gans, of Oakton, Calif., sums up the phenomenon of the DeadNet Jam as "a natural outgrowth of people hanging out together online."

He described the unique character of the Dead community and the music that transpires from a gathering. "It is improvisation within a structure. [Musicians] slowly and quite organically drift from one song to another. You can step up on stage with a bunch of guys you've never met and make great music."

Gans played at the Heartland Cafe and Martyr's in the late '90s and is looking forward to the DeadNet Jam in Chicago. He gets lots of recordings from deadheads, including their covers of the classic songs. "I've gotten some really great material that way. I try to keep an open mind, knowing that serendipity is one of the greatest tools," he said.

As host of the popular "Grateful Dead Hour," now in its 22nd year and syndicated nationwide, Gans believes that the music of the Grateful Dead will endure into the foreseeable future.

"The Grateful Dead's music was made at a time when the world was changing, and they helped change the world. This is music for the ages."

DEADNET JAM

8 p.m. to early morning Thursday and Friday, September 20-21 (doors open at 7:30 p.m.), Kinetic Playground

1113 W. Lawrence. (773) 769-LIVE.www.dead.net or www.gdhour.com