Dead & Company wrapped up a two-night run at the famed Alpine Valley Music Theatre in style last night, playing their hearts out for a great performance with countless Grateful Dead classics. Powered by three of the band’s core members, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, Dead & Company are carrying the torch with a gusto. Perhaps it’s the new energy that John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti bring to the table, but there’s no denying that this band has some magic.

Unlike the first night of the Alpine run, where Dead & Co debuted two new songs, the band focused on familiar tunes with a passion. Opening with “Samson & Delilah,” the first set was heated up by “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” “Loose Lucy,” “Standing On The Moon,” “Crazy Fingers,” “Althea” and a sing-along of “Goin Down The Road Feelin’ Bad” that featured vocals from Burbridge.

Set two had the biggest surprise of the night, as the band opened the set with “Sugar Magnolia” but segued into “Viola Lee Blues” before playing the “Sunshine Daydream” coda. The set raged on with a great “Scarlet > Fire” combination and wrapped into a psychedelic “Drums/Space” odyssey, before returning with “Wharf Rat.” Only after “Wharf Rat” would the band conclude their opening song, hitting the “Sunshine Daydream” section in stride.

The encore brought two emotional Jerry Garcia tunes to light, as the band brought out acoustic guitars and played “Ripple.” With a little time left, the band broke out into one more song, a great “Touch Of Grey,” to end the show.

Check out video highlights [from velvethammer2002 except where indicated], audio via WMWV Radio, and the full setlist below!

Crazy Fingers

Althea

Drums/Space

Wharf Rat [via zoothorn99]

Ripple

Touch Of Grey [via thisspaceisgettinghot]