The Grateful Dead once treated Tuscaloosans to a show at the Memorial Coliseum (now Coleman), in May of 1977. Forty years later, Bob Weir probably won’t be breezing through Tuscaloosa any time soon. But there’s still a chance to experience the music of the Dead in the Druid City. 

The Black Jacket Symphony, a cover group that changes its musician lineup depending on the music they cover, will perform at the Bama Theatre this Friday at 8 p.m. The Symphony performs a different album at each concert. This past summer, they covered Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Queen and Pink Floyd, among others. Friday they’ll personify the Grateful Dead with a rendition of their classic album “American Beauty.”

“American Beauty” includes such distinguished tracks as “Box of Rain” and “Friend of the Devil.” The Black Jacket Symphony will cover the album preceding a brief intermission and a performance of the Dead’s most popular jams. 

The Black Jacket Symphony’s tour of the Southeast and Midwest continues through October 31, with a Halloween tribute to Prince at Iowa State University.

Tickets for Friday’s show at the Bama Theatre are $25 or $30 and are available at www.bamatheatre.org. The show begins at 8 p.m. with doors at 7 and the box office at 5.