Melvin Seals & the JGB Band, founded by Jerry Garcia, performed at The Green Spot in Coos Bay on Nov. 13. Shown are guitarist Justin Purtill and drummer Mark Corsolini. World Photo by Jo Rafferty

The Green Spot owner John Ambrosini scurried around like a nervous new father on Nov. 13, shaking hands and hoping the venue’s first big concert, featuring Melvin Seals & the JGB Band, would get a good-sized audience.

For about a year the gymnasium-sized former J.C. Penney building in downtown Coos Bay had been Sober’s, a teen center. When that business didn’t become as lucrative as he had hoped, Ambrosini shifted goals and went back to what he originally wanted to do — to offer medium-billed bands that play music from the time he lived in San Francisco, in the late ’60s-early ’70s. More concerts are planned next month (see Scene & Heard).

The room filled slowly until it was wall-to-wall beards, tie-dye shirts and long hair. About 50 to 60 people attended this performance by the San Francisco band that was Jerry Garcia’s side project. Tickets for the fundraiser for South Coast Food Share had cost $20-$25, and it was a Thursday night. But those who did go appeared to be mostly in their 50s or older, and fans of the music started by the founder of the Grateful Dead.

The band brought its own enormous sound system and lights, but the music wasn’t too loud and about half the people danced in front of the stage, while others gathered in booths.

Melvin Seals, an original member of the JGB Band, played the blues like he was controlling a wave with his hands. When the audience hooted and clapped at the end of his performance he flashed a big smile. Guitarist and lead vocalist Stu Allen sounded like Garcia himself, said Green Spot manager Steve Pilant.

“Look at this,” Pilant said. “This town doesn’t have anything like this.”