For Deadheads across the country, the music never stops

Festivalgoers cheer for The Hip Abduction at All Good Now festival in June at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD.KT Kanazawich for NPR hide caption During this year's Days Between — from August 1 and August 9 — NPR Music is publishing a series of stories about what keeps drawing people to the Grateful Dead, and how they plan to carry the band's legacy forward.Summer tour is a state of mind.For decades, as soon as the weather warms up, fans of the Grateful Dead have gathered in some shape or form to listen to the band's music.

Whether it be following an official iteration of the Dead across the country, catching a local cover band or heading to a jam band festival (which is sure to include at least a few Grateful Dead references), summer is a special season for Deadheads.This year, without any original members of the band on the road, fans carried on with their summer tradition.In Chicago, people convened at Garcia's, a Jerry-dedicated venue, to listen to Skeleton Crewe's take on Dead classics.

In Denver, cover band Built to Last played its renditions of the songbook.At the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md.

— an iconic venue for the Grateful Dead — All Good Now festival held down the scene.And in New York City, a screening for the Deadhead documentary Summer Tour turned into a full-on party as young tribute band Mason's Children took the stage.The Grateful Dead might not be playing any shows this year, but across the U.S., the music never stops.

Twins Keith and Nate Chapman, 34, pose for a photo at All Good Now festival ahead of Dark Star Orchestra's set."We discovered the Grateful Dead on our own, no one older in our family ever came across that, so it was something very unique to us.

We had a friend that dragged us to a show when we were like 18 and it changed my life.Jerry saved my life.

In th...