Maybe it’s just coincidence, but I hear plenty of Grateful Dead in the music of San Francisco’s Tea Leaf Green.

The quartet is compared to Bob Dylan, The Faces and early Elton John in its official biography. But I hear just as much “American Beauty”-era Dead on “Taught to be Proud,” the band’s 2005 debut album — a disc that sounds like California of the ’60s with lots of piano in the psychedelic guitar mix.

Rising stars on the jam band circuit, Tea Leaf Green has opened for Phisherman Trey Anastasio, Gov’t Mule and has been joined on stage by the Dead’s Bob Weir. The band drew more than 10,000 people to its mid-afternoon set at last year’s Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee and took the Jammy Award for Song of the Year for “Taught to be Proud,” the album’s title cut.

The band remains on a roll, having started an extensive tour at the end of April that will take it to all kinds of festivals across the country, including Lawrence, Kan.’s Wakarusa Festival on June 8-10.

But you don’t have to go anywhere to catch Tea Leaf Green. They’re at Knickerbockers Wednesday for a 9:30 p.m. 18-and-over show. The Balance, the popular Lincoln jam band that also is slated to play Wakarusa, will open the show.

On screen

Two big pictures come to theaters today. “The Da Vinci Code” is the most anticipated movie of the summer, and “Over the Hedge” is the latest from DreamWorks animation, the company that made the “Shrek” movies. That means the theaters should be packed with folks of all ages.

“The Da Vinci Code” will be on seven screens in Lincoln — three at the Douglas Grand, two at East Park and two at SouthPointe. “Over the Hedge” will be on six screens — two at the Grand, two at Edgewood and two at SouthPointe.

MoPix movie

The MoPix movie at the Douglas Grand Theatre this week is “RV,” the vacation comedy hit starring Robin Williams as a harried father who hauls his brood to Colorado in a recreational vehicle. MoPix is a system that allows access to films to the blind and deaf and is available in one of the Grand’s 14 auditoriums.

On stage

The Nebraska Jazz Orchestra will close out its year with a doozy of a program.

The ensemble will feature five guest artists with Nebraska ties.

On tap will be Chris Varga, Joey Gulizia, Broc Hempel, Loy Hetrick and Doug Hinrichs.

NJO also will introduce Paul Krueger as its 2006 Young Artist winner.

Clubland

The big show this week is, of course, “Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble II” Sunday night at the Zoo Bar, featuring female rock ’n’ roll pioneer Wanda Jackson.

The only other major touring show of note to come to Lincoln this week takes place tonight when the Youngblood Brass Band comes rolling into the Zoo. This nine-piece Wisconsin-based collective has a jumpin’ new record out appropriately called “Is That A Riot?” A captivating live act, the Youngblood Brass Band is all kinds of fun — smart, danceable and inventive.

Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com.