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The sailboat sign of The Seafood Peddler restaurant is seen in San Rafael, Calif. on Wendesday, Jan. 4, 2012. (IJ photo/Alan Dep) Alan Dep
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Tickets for a 12-show Phil Lesh and Friends band run in March that opens the Grateful Dead bassist's new Terrapin Crossroads Grate Room in San Rafael go on sale on Wednesday for $150, a general admission price that has angered some of his fans.

"They should change the name of the place to Shakedown Street," griped a post on the Terrapin Crossroads Facebook page, citing a 1978 Grateful Dead album title.

Terrapin management agreed on its website, terrapincrossroads.net, that "ticket prices are quite high," and went on to explain: "The reality of bringing a major rock show to an intimate venue is that tickets will cost a few bucks more than usual. It costs a lot to put

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 11: Musician Phil Lesh (R) and Jill Lesh arrive at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on February 11, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) Frazer Harrison
on a big show in a small space! Rest assured, though, as we get rolling there will be shows and ticket prices for all budgets. We don't want to exclude anyone from what we're building here."

Management subsequently announced that 48 hours before every show, unused tickets reserved for band family and friends will be released at $75, half the general admission price. They will be available online, and announced on Twitter and Facebook.

But some fans were less than grateful.

"So now to disappointment and anger they have added stress and pandemonium," one wrote in a Facebook post, adding sarcastically: "Keeps getting better."

Another groused: "Jerry (Garcia) is shaking his head."

High ticket prices have not

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dampened the enthusiasm of the more well-heeled Deadheads. When $300 VIP packages went on sale Feb. 14, there was so much traffic that it temporarily crashed the Terrapin Crossroads site.

The Grate Room, inspired by Levon Helms' Woodstock music barn, opens March 17 with Lesh playing with his sons, Grahame and Brian, plus Chris Robinson, Jeff Chimenti, Jimmy Herring, Joe Russo and former Grateful Dead bandmate Bob Weir.

Grate Room shows continue nightly through April 1 with such guest stars as Jackie Greene, John Kadlecik, Warren Haynes, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams.

In the meantime, it has been announced that the Terrapin Crossroads bar and downstairs family room will have a "soft opening" on March 8. On March 11, Lesh plays in the family room with his son Grahame and members of Railroad Earth.

Terrapin Crossroads, formerly the Seafood Peddler restaurant, is at 100 Yacht Club Dr. in San Rafael's Canal neighborhood.

Contact Paul Liberatore via email at liberatore@marinij.com