Bob Weir & Wolf Bros set up shop in the Sunshine State on Friday for their first of six nights in Fort Lauderdale. Night one of the band’s year-ending run at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts saw Bob Weir, his Wolf Bros backing band, and string/horn section The Wolfpack dig up The Temptations‘ “Shakey Ground” for the first time since February 2nd, 2023, per nugs.net.

Friday’s opener marked the Grateful Dead guitarist’s first concert since finishing his orchestral tour in New Orleans on November 23rd. Prior to that, his last rock and roll show was a special one-off show with The String Cheese Incident at Suwannee Hulaween, which happened to come two days after the death of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh. Before that, Weir’s last performance with his own band was when Dead & Company closed their historic 30-show Dead Forever residency at Las Vegas’ Sphere on August 10th. Despite that relative abstinence from performing in a traditional “band” configuration, the 77-year-old guitarist and singer was primed and ready to embark on a six-show Florida run of four nights at the Broward Center (12/27–12/28, 12/30–12/31) and two shows at Fort Lauderdale’s The Parker (1/2–1/3).

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Taking the stage, Bob Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack crept into the evening with the eerie boogie of “The Music Never Stopped”. Weir’s—shall we say, calloused—guitar tone was softened out by the bouquet of string and horn accompaniment, with keyboardist Jeff Chimenti adding twinkling grand piano. Bouncing along on the main “Never Stopped” riff, the band deftly transitioned directly into The Temptations’ “Shakey Ground”. The 1975 single was co-written by legendary Funkadelic guitarist and “Maggot Brain” mastermind Eddie Hazel, and the song’s slap-back funk bears the Funkadelic DNA. Weir has carried the Temptations cover throughout his post-Jerry Garcia solo career, taking it to RatDog, Furthur, Dead & Company, and Wolf Bros. That experience was put on display in Friday’s minor bust-out, as the groove of “Shakey Ground” seamlessly transitioned into a subtle reprise of “Music Never Stopped” (complete with backing “Ooos” from the band) to close the opening two-song segment.

Watch Bob Weir & Wolf Bros dust off “Shakey Ground” in Fort Lauderdale, along with a collection of fan-shot videos from the first show of the run. Weir and his Bros return to the Broward Center tonight, December 28th, for night two. Find tickets on Ticketmaster or stay home and stream the show on nugs.net. If you’re not signed up for nugs yet, start here with a seven-day free trial or purchase a 50% off yearlong subscription for $99 here. [Editor’s Note: Live For Live Music is a nugs affiliate. Ordering your nugs subscription or purchasing a download via the links on this page helps support our coverage of the world of live music. Thank you for reading!]

Setlist: Bob Weir & Wolf Bros Featuring The Wolfpacl | Broward Center For The Performing Arts | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 12/27/24

Set One: The Music Never Stopped > Shakey Ground (The Temptations) [1], When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob Dylan), Big River (Johnny Cash), Jack Straw, Tennessee Jed, Cassidy
Set Two: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider (Traditional), Days Between, Lady With A Fan > Terrapin Station, Turn On Your Love Light (Bobby “Blue” Bland)
Encore: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan)

[1] LTP 2/2/23