By Karen DeWalt
In these strange and unprecedented times, many things that were taken for granted are sorely missed. Live music is currently not possible, at least not in the traditional sense. Charlie Wigo IV, of the Dead-Centric tribute bands Dead Reckoning and Weir-Wolves, is aiming to bring the rock and roll fantasy back to the people and provide an outlet full of love and healing during this pandemic. Not inside at a venue, but outside, in a drive up concert, where attendees stay around their vehicle, maintaining current social distancing recommendations.
Charlie comes from a background full of ties to historical events. His mother attended the March on Washington in 1963, where she heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech. His mother also attended the Human Be-In in 1967 at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, where the Grateful Dead performed, the Atlantic City Pop Festival and two weeks later, Woodstock Music Festival in New York. Charlie said her two favorite performers were Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead and would correct him while he was playing if the timing was off or the lyrics were wrong. It was because of her he founded his Grateful Dead tribute band of Dead Reckoning. Because he cannot get all his band members to perform due to Covid, Charlie formed the trio Weir-Wolves, which is a tribute to Bob Weir’s current project of Bob Weir and the Wolf Brothers featuring Charlie Wigo IV on acoustic guitar, David Rowan on bass, and Kenny Q on drums.
The Weir-Wolves are scheduled to perform Saturday, June 6th at Vagabond Kitchen and Tap House in Atlantic City, NJ from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Saturday, June 13th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Bourre BBQ Cajun Cusine in the lot. Food and drink will be available at both locations. Tickets are available through the Dead Reckoning’s Facebook page and on their website at https://njdeadreckoning.wixsite.com/dead/schedule. Tickets are $25 per car load.
