Wall of Sound

Wall of Sound is a Southern California Grateful Dead band that came together to jam during the pandemic and turned into a working act after an after-party set for the BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach went over well enough to get them invited back the following year. They take their name from the Dead's 1974 PA system but their playing targets the louder, bigger 1980s period of the band, with two drummers and authentic tones. The lineup is drawn from veterans of other California Dead and jam projects: guitarist Nick Sandoval (Stu Allen & Mars Hotel, The Eleven, Tiger Rose), guitarist Jim Shank (Rum Runners), keyboardist Ed Lyon (Cubensis, WTFB), drummer Darren Pujalet (Particle, Mickey Hart), drummer Jeffrey Brown (Blue Man Group) and bassist Jason Buck. They circuit the coast — The Venice West in Venice, Tony's Pizzaria at Surfers Point in Ventura, The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa, SLO Brew in San Luis Obispo, the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach and Winstons in San Diego.