After an exciting performance at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival that saw the band welcome former singer Donna Jean Godchaux, the Dead & Company crew made their way to Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, OH for a great performance that saw an exciting band debut. The band has been firing on all cylinders of late, and their fourth show of the year continued that exciting trend.

The group opened the show with Bob Weir taking lead on “Hell In A Bucket,” rocking the exciting tune and letting folks enjoy the ride. John Mayer got a turn on lead vocals with “Brown Eyed Women,” adding his cool take on the classic. A pair of “cowboy” songs followed, with “Me And My Uncle” segueing into “Big River.” The band stretched their legs a bit on “Sugaree,” and kept the jam going for a punchy “Jack Straw.” “Mississippi Half-Step” finished off a great first set.

It was the second set where Dead & Company really let loose, starting with their first ever performance of “Box Of Rain.” The Phil Lesh-penned American Beauty song was on the band’s short list for new debuts this summer, and Mayer did the song justice with his lead vocals. From there, the band dove into familiar waters with the rockin’ “Viola Lee Blues,” which would ultimately frame the set. After a folky “Uncle John’s Band,” the group brought out a “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” combination.

After the “China/Rider,”, the group descended into “Drums” and “Space,” going into distant atonal regions before returning to “Viola Lee Blues.” They brought the set down  with an emotional “Stella Blue,” taking its time and truly delivering, before bursting into a celebratory “Sugar Magnolia.” After the “Sunshine Daydream” section and a brief pause, the band rocked one more time with a classic “U.S. Blues.” 

You can listen to full audio below, courtesy of taper Rob Krall.

Check out the full setlist, below.

Setlist: Dead & Company at Riverbend Music Center, Cincinnati, OH – 6/16/16

Set 1: Hell In A Bucket (bw), Brown Eyed Women (jm), Me And My Uncle (bw)> Big River (bw), Sugaree (jm), Jam> Jack Straw (bw jm), Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo (jm)

Set 2: Box Of Rain (jm)> Viola Lee Blues> Uncle John’s Band (bw jm)> China Cat Sunflower (bw)> I Know You Rider (jm bw)> Drums> Space> Viola Lee Blues, Stella Blue (bw), Sugar Magnolia

Encore: U.S. Blues (jm)

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[Image via GoldenGoddess1969/Instagram]