Jackson Gillies and Jax Plays Dead will return to the renovated Alcazar Theatre in Carpinteria for a film and music event, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24.
At age 26, singer/songwriter, producer, TEDx speaker Gillies has performed on every stage in Santa Barbara, and most recently branched out to Las Vegas, San Diego, and Oregon, “but returning to the Alcazar after his sold-out show last year will be a special evening,” according to organizers.
Mark Sylvester of TEDx Santa Barbara will introduce a 10-minute short film “Darkness Makes the Light Lighter,” directed by Olga Lvoff and Victor Ilyukhin, featuring Jackson, and created by Positive Exposure.
Founded by award-winning photographer Rick Guidotti in New York City, “Positive Exposure for 25 years has grown into a global movement, a nonprofit celebrating the beauty and richness of human diversity,” organizers said.
Their hope is to build a more equitable, compassionate world for individuals and communities at risk of stigma and exclusion.”
After the short documentary, which was partially filmed at the Alcazar during last year’s show, Gillies and his band, Jackson Gillies and Friends will present Jackson’s new original music.
After intermission, the second set will be started, featuring Jax Plays Dead, a Jackson Gillies project celebrating the music of the Grateful Dead.
Gillies will perform at the first Carpinteria Film Festival, 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, kicking off the closing film, “David Crosby: Remember My Name.”
Jackson’s new Jax Plays Dead merchandise will debut that evening, created by chalk artist Rod Tryon, who has been featured at Santa Barbara’s I Madonnari Festival for decades.
To celebrate the return to the Alcazar of Jax Plays Dead, Tryon will create a Jax Plays Dead drawing right out front on the theater’s sidewalk beginning around noon.
The drawing should take about five hours to complete.
The Grateful Dead has a longstanding tradition of collaborating with artists to create concert posters and such. Available at the show will also be Jax Plays Dead merchandise created by Kenny Schneidman and Karen Payton, all facilitated by Val Selvaggio.
Jax Plays Dead and Jackson Gillies and Friends players include Gillies, Sasha Cohen, Ben Congdon, Jaden Lehman, David McInnes, Jules Sherman, Toby Still, and Sky Ulep.
For tickets (VIP front rows $50, general seating $20) visit thealcazar.org.
For more on Gillies, bookings, events and music, visit JacksonSings.com.