Six-time GRAMMY-winning musician, producer, and Blue Note Records president Don Was has expanded his 2026 itinerary with a new run of fall dates for Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble. The newly announced shows run from late September through mid-October and continue the dual celebration of the group’s debut album Groove in the Face of Adversity (Mack Avenue Records) and the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s Blues for Allah.
Tickets for many of the fall dates go on sale Friday, July 24, 2026, at 10 a.m. local time. Fans of Detroit groove, jazz-funk, and Dead-inspired improvisation should act quickly—intimate theater and club shows on this run are expected to move fast.
What to Expect at the Shows
Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble blend steamy jazz, juke-joint blues, and loose-limbed funk rooted in the Motor City sound. Live sets feature material from Groove in the Face of Adversity alongside complete (or extensive) nightly renditions of Blues for Allah, honoring both the album’s milestone and Was’s long association with Bobby Weir (including his work in Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros).
The ensemble draws heavily from Detroit talent and typically includes:
- Don Was – upright bass / bandleader
- Dave McMurray – saxophone
- Luis Resto – keyboards
- Wayne Gerard – guitar
- Vincent Chandler – trombone
- John Douglas – trumpet
- Jeff Canady – drums
- Mahindi Masai – percussion
- Steffanie Christi’an – vocals (plus additional background vocalists on some dates)
Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble Fall 2026 Tour Dates
Fall leg (newly announced):
- September 29 – Austin, TX – Antone’s Nightclub
- September 30 – Austin, TX – Antone’s Nightclub
- October 1 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
- October 2 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater
- October 3 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads
- October 4 – Minneapolis, MN – Dakota (early & late shows)
- October 6 – Traverse City, MI – The Alluvion (early & late shows)
- October 7 – Lansing, MI – Grewal Hall at 224
- October 9 – Kent, OH – The Kent Stage
- October 10 – Nelsonville, OH – Stuart’s Opera House
- October 11 – Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall / Babeville
- October 13 – Homer, NY – Center for the Arts of Homer
- October 14 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge
- October 15 – Fairfield, CT – The Warehouse at FTC
- October 16 – Cambridge/Boston, MA – The Sinclair
- October 17 – Groton, MA – Groton Hill Music Center
- October 18 – Bar Harbor, ME – Criterion Theatre
These dates follow a busy stretch of August headlining shows and Outlaw Music Festival appearances (including stops at Pine Knob, Alpine Valley, Jones Beach, Bethel Woods, SPAC, and more). Always double-check the latest schedule and venue details on the official Don Was site or individual venue pages, as lineups and times can update.
How to Buy Tickets
- Primary on-sale: Friday, July 24, 2026 at 10 a.m. local via Ticketmaster, AXS, venue sites, and links at donwas.com.
- Check individual venue pages for any pre-sales or local codes.
- For high-demand or sold-out shows, compare verified resale options on platforms such as StubHub, Vivid Seats, or SeatGeek—always use reputable sellers and review buyer protections.
- Outlaw Music Festival tickets have separate presale and general sale windows (code OUTLAW26 was previously used for some dates).
Prices and availability vary by market and seating. Smaller rooms like Antone’s, The Kessler, Dakota, and Le Poisson Rouge tend to sell through quickly.
FAQ: Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble
Who is Don Was? Don Was is a six-time GRAMMY-winning bassist, producer, composer, and longtime president of Blue Note Records. He co-founded Was (Not Was), has produced major albums for The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, John Mayer, and many others (combined sales over 100 million), and has toured extensively with Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros. He also hosts radio shows celebrating Detroit music.
What is the Pan-Detroit Ensemble? It is Don Was’s current group of elite Detroit-based jazz and groove musicians. The project channels the raw, unpretentious, deeply funky sound of the Motor City while exploring both original material and classic repertoire.
Will they play the full Blues for Allah album? Yes—many shows feature a complete or near-complete live performance of the Grateful Dead’s 1975 album in celebration of its 50th anniversary, paired with tracks from Groove in the Face of Adversity.
Is this a Grateful Dead tribute band? No. It is an original jazz/funk ensemble led by Don Was that incorporates Blues for Allah as a special focus while primarily performing its own material and Detroit-rooted groove.
Where can I find the most accurate ticket and schedule information? Start at donwas.com and the individual venue websites. Ticketmaster and AXS are the main primary sellers for most dates.
Are there more dates expected? The fall leg was just announced as an expansion of the existing 2026 schedule. Additional shows are always possible—follow official channels for updates.
Don’t miss this unique combination of Motor City groove and Grateful Dead exploration. Secure your seats when tickets drop on July 24 and experience Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble live in 2026.