After an incredible shows at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado on Friday and Saturday night, Dead & Company played full steam ahead in Atlanta on Tuesday night at the Lakewood Amphitheatre. It seems as though the Grateful Dead members are having an absolute ball with the contemporary players, as John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti continue to impress the dedicated fan base family show after show.
Of course, it’s always a good sign when a show opens with “Scarlet Begonias.” Rather than heading into the traditional “Fire on the Mountian” from there, the band then dove straight into a funky “Shakedown Street.” The energy steadily crescendoed throughout a first set was filled with sing-along favorites like “Tennessee Jed” and “They Love Each Other.” To the surprise of the Internet, Dead & Company streamed their entire show for free through nugs.tv, so the folks at home (and on social media) followed along with the show from their couches with grateful enthusiasm. You can watch the first set below:
Set I:
Set two opened with a joyous “Here Comes Sunshine,” followed by an excellent, silky-smooth segment that saw the band move from “Playin’ In The Band” into “Uncle John’s Band,” where they toyed with a “Supplication” jam before returning to a “Playin’ In The Band” reprise. By this point, it was obvious to everyone bearing witness (whether in real life or from their couches) that all six of the men playing in this band were practiced, focused, and playing superbly. Dead & Co started as an experiment: a handful of Dead veterans bringing in some fresh faces to attempt to revive some of the brilliance of old. But as they hit their stride during this summer tour, it’s clear that this group has moved beyond being a collection of talented musicians, and has come into their own as a fantastic unit in their own right.
That notion was further bolstered as the familiar opening notes of the “Terrapin” suite rang out for just the second time this tour. As usual, Mayer handled vocal duties for the “Lady With A Fan” portion, but the rendition’s quicker-than-usual pace and the particularly spot-on contributions from John and the rest of the musicians, the song felt as though it took on new life or, at least, more life than it has had in some time.
“Terrapin Station” eventually dissolved into an other-worldly “Drums” >”Space.” Out of the “Space” rose a seemingly impromptu jam based on Miles Davis‘ “Milestones,” which in turn bled into “Days Between,” giving Bobby a chance to melt hearts once more. Finally, the band turned in an excellent “Sugar Magnolia” closer before returning for a celebratory “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.” You can watch all of set two below, via the band’s YouTube page.”
Set II:
Enjoy the full photo gallery by Emily Butler.
Dead & Company tour continues tomorrow with a performance at KeyBank Arena in Burgettstown, PA. For more information on upcoming dates, or to pick up your tickets, head here.
Setlist: Dead & Company | Lakewood Amphitheatre | Atlanta, GA | 6/13/17
I: Scarlet Begonias > Shakedown Street, Dire Wolf, Tennessee Jed, They Love Each Other, Black Throated Wind, Mississippi Half Step
II: Here Comes Sunshine, Playin’ In The Band > Uncle John’s Band > Playin’ In The Band (Reprise), Lady With A Fan > Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Milestones > Days Between, Sugar Magnolia
E: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
