When Dead & Company announced in early October that their 2023 summer tour would be their last, it was hard not to wonder what would come next for Bob Weir. After all, even the Grateful Dead’s youngest founding member is no spring chick—he turned 75 on October 16th—and even the most rigorous of workout regimens can’t hide that fact when he’s standing next to collaborators like John Mayer, a man 30 years his junior.

Should Bobby choose to play on after next year’s tour, he will have no shortage of options for accompaniment—chief among them, the Wolf Bros. And if the show that Bobby Weir and Wolf Bros played together at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on the final Tuesday of October was any indication, any such ensuing chapter will have the plenty of ground to cover.

What began as a trio with Don Was on standup bass and Jay Lane on drums back in 2018 morphed into a full-on stage-filling ensemble beneath the gaze of the famed Griffith Observatory. Dead & Company’s Jeff Chimenti reprised his role on keys. John Mayer made a headline-grabbing appearance for the entire second set and encore grabbed headlines as a second-set accompaniment,, and that was after singer-guitarist Matty Michna made waves as Bobby’s on-stage sidekick with a performance of “Big Sandy Creek” that bled into and out of a rollicking rendition of “Eyes of the World” during the first set. Matthew Kelly also lent his harmonica and harp to the proceedings, to spectacular effect.

Related: Bob Weir Celebrates 75th Birthday With Wolf Bros In San Francisco [Photos/Videos]

As exciting as those guest appearances were, the biggest shift in the Wolf Bros’ sound—not to mention sheer size—came courtesy of the Wolf Pack. The six-piece collection of strings and horns joined in during “West LA Fadeaway” and left an indelible mark on the feel of the set until the very end. Whether providing a symphonic background on a Bobby-sung rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” or delving deep into jam psychedelia on “The Other One”, this group lent a richness of sound to Bobby & the Wolf Bros that even the original Dead themselves might have envied.

Together, this loaded lineup lilted beautifully through a cover-heavy opening set that included Bob Dylan’s “She Belongs to Me” and Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl”, as well as a Dead-centric second set that started with a sprawling “Shakedown Street”, ended with “Sugar Magnolia”, and returned with a fun, extra-folksy version of “Ripple”.

All throughout, the thought of this possibly being one of Bobby’s final performances in L.A. floated surreptitiously through the chilly night air and lent the proceedings an additional touch of gravitas. Then again, there was little beyond pure speculation to suggest that this show actually marked the beginning of the end for Bobby in his home state. Judging by Bobby’s vocals, guitar, and strong band support, not to mention his ineffable white mane, he has all the tools and talent he needs to keep this train rolling further after Dead & Company call it quits—and this being Bob Weir, it feels like a safe bet.

As Weir said along with that announcement, “Well it looks like that’s it for this outfit; but don’t worry we will all be out there in one form or another until we drop.”

Below, listen to a full audio recording via nugs.net and watch a selection of videos via Ed Congdon and Brian James, and view a handful of photos via Bolt of Sunshine from the Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles featuring John Mayer, Matty Michna, and more. For a complete list of upcoming Bob Weir tour dates, head here.

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros – Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – Full Audio – 10/25/22

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros w/ John Mayer – “Shakedown Street” – 10/25/22

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros w/ John Mayer – “Dark Star” – 10/25/22

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros w/ John Mayer – “The Other One” – 10/25/22

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros w/ John Mayer – “Sugar Magnolia” – 10/25/22

View Videos

Setlist: Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros | Greek Theatre | Los Angeles, CA

Set One: Ramble On Rose, She Belongs To Me, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Brown-Eyed Women, West L.A. Fadeaway, Eyes of the World*^ > Big Sandy Creek*^ > What’s Going On?*^ > Eyes of the World*^

Set Two: Shakedown Street#^, Dark Star (verse 1)#^ > China Cat Sunflower#^ > I Know You Rider#^ > Dark Star (verse 2)#^ > The Other One#^ > Standing On The Moon#, Sugar Magnolia#^

Encore: Ripple#^

Notes: Matthew Kelly on harmonica throughout. John Mayer on guitar/vocals for set two and encore.

*with Matty Michna on guitar/vocals
^with the Wolf Pack
#with John Mayer on guitar/vocals