New Orleans took over Chicago prior to the Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well shows last weekend to kick off a legendary run with some funky Big Easy vibes. “Busted on Bourbon Street,” presented by The Dead’s Mickey Hart and NOLA’s WWOZ, welcomed Ivan Neville, Ian Neville, Papa Mali, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Tony Hall, Willie Green and Marc “Buddha” Balsam to Metro on Thursday, 7/2 for a night to remember.

From WWOZ show host Jonny Ray:

“I have had the pleasure of being a radio show host at WWOZ 90.7 FM in New Orleans for 5 years. When I heard that Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and his daughter Reya would be putting together a benefit for our radio station I was ecstatic! And the fact that it just happened to be the night before the now legendary Grateful Dead 50th ‘Fare Thee Well’ shows in Chicago just blew my mind.

The event was called ‘Busted on Bourbon Street,’ a lyric snipped from the Dead song ‘Truckin’ which commemorates the band’s run-in with the law down in New Orleans in the early morning of January 31, 1970.

The minute you walked into The Metro, it was filled with T-shirts supporting Tipitina’s, Jazz Fest, WWOZ, and Dumpstaphunk. The legendary basketball player/deadhead Bill Walton was even in the house. They all came to see Ivan Neville, Ian Neville, Papa Mali, Mean Willie Green, Tony Hall, and Marc ‘Buddha’ Balsam share a little NOLA magic with Chicago!”

Photos by Michelle Stancil, full gallery at the bottom.

Setlist:

Set 1:
The World Is a Little Bit Under the Weather
Not Fade Away
Brother John/Iko Iko
Mr. Charlie
Knockin’ On Heavens Door
Love Light
Brother Jake

Set 2:
Shakedown Street
I’m A Ram
Bury The Hatchet
Dance With Me
Let’s Go Get Em
Big Chief

Encore:
Hey Pocky Way