Bob Weir Leads Don Was & Friends In Grateful Dead Favorite At Hardly Strictly Bluegress [Watch]

At this past weekend’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco, storied musician, producer, and current Blue Note Records president Don Was hosted a special Don Was & Friends performance, during which he welcomed surprise guest Bob Weir for the majority of the set. The collaboration came as Bob Weir, Don Was, and drummer Jay Lane prepare to hit the road for the inaugural swing by Bobby’s new Dead-centric trio, Bob Weir and Wolf Bros.

The Don Was & Friends band featured a slew of talented players including guitarist Mike Moreno, drummers Kendrick Scott and Terrence Higgins, keyboardist Chris Browers, percussionist Lenny Castro, a horn section including Terence Blanchard on trumpet and Dave McMurray on saxophone, and vocals by The McCrary Sisters, Frida Eugene, Harry Bowens, and Sweet Pea Atkinson.

After opening the set with a song from Don Was’ Was (Not Was) project, “Hello Operator”, the band moved into Gregory Porter‘s “1960 What?” and Hank Williams‘ “Forever’s A Long, Long Time”. Next, Bob Weir, the Grateful Dead guitarist/vocalist, took the stage to lead the band in a rendition of the Dead’s “Days Between”. Bobby (and guitarist Buddy Miller) remained onstage in supporting roles as the band moved into a performance of “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” with Was (Not Was)’s “I Blew Up The United States” sandwiched inside it. Finally, the band closed their set with one last Was (Not Was) selection, “Walk The Dinosaur”.

You can watch Weir lead Don Was & Friends in “Days Between” at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass below:

Don Was & Friends w/ Bob Weir – “Days Between”

[Video: gridlifeTV]

You can also watch footage of Bob Weir joining Don Was & Friends for the “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”/”I Blew Up The United States” medley and the set-closing “Walk The Dinosaur” here:

Don Was & Friends w/ Bob Weir – “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” > “I Blew Up The United States” > “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”

[Video: gridlifeTV]

Don Was & Friends w/ Bob Weir – “Walk The Dinosaur”

[Video: gridlifeTV]

Setlist: Don Was & Friends | Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival | Golden Gate Park | San Francisco, CA | 10/6/18

Set: Hello Operator, 1960 What?, Forever’s A Long, Long Time, Days Between*, Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone* > I Blew Up The United States > Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone, Walk The Dinosaur

*with Bob Weir

[H/T JamBase]