Dead & Company Spend A Little Time On The Mountain For Boulder Night One [Photos/Videos/Audio]

Dead & Company returned to the familiar Folsom Field in Boulder, CO on Friday to kick off another weekend run. The show marked the Grateful Dead offshoot’s first time at the University of Colorado Boulder facility since July 6th, 2019, and the band’s ninth show there overall.

Dead & Company put Friday’s show—and the weekend as a whole—into gear with the classic opener “Bertha”. There was no “easing in” to this one, as Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti dove straight in, with the latter providing some playful organ work fitting of a sports stadium.

Dead & Company – “Bertha” [Pro-Shot] – 6/17/22

The opening momentum carried the band through an upbeat “Good Lovin'” as Bobby commanded the microphone before a rhythmic breakdown allowed Oteil to strut up and down the bassline. After two songs, Dead & Company finally settled in with “New Speedway Boogie”, with the eerie Altamont lament leading into a bluesy “Smokestack Lightnin'”.

The tempo picked back up for a stomp through “Mr. Charlie” before John Mayer got a chance to show off his falsetto on “Ramble On Rose”. An undulating “They Love Each Other” followed, as JonBo rode the crest of Kreutzmann and Hart’s rolling rhythms. Oteil then got his chance on the mic for a crystalline “High Time”, which paired up with the opulent instrumentation of “Let It Grow” to close set one.

Returning for set two with another tried and true opener, Dead & Company resumed live-action with “Sugaree”. Following its completion, Dead & Company let the music wander for a moment, eventually taking shape as “Truckin'”. The musical wanderlust continued at the end of the American Beauty classic as a bluesy vamp propelled by Mayer and Chimenti’s instrumental bond took shape as “Viola Lee Blues”.

Dead & Company – “Sugaree” [Pro-Shot] – 6/17/22

Mayer’s spotlight moment came with “Althea” before the bus came by with “The Other One”. Once again, the band took its time letting this one develop, meanwhile Kreutzmann and Hart’s rhythms continued to swell and made the seamless transition to “Drums” and “Space” following the song’s first verse. Entering back into Colorado’s atmosphere from “Space”, Bobby finished out the second verse of “The Other One”. The tale of August West went in the post-“Space” ballad slot as a contemplative “Wharf Rat” teed up a riotous “Turn On Your Lovelight” to finish the frame. Taking the stage once more, Dead & Company put a cap on the evening with “Casey Jones”.

Full-show audio of Dead & Company at Folsom Field on Friday is available thanks to taper Travitz12. A collection of fan-shot videos is also available below. Scroll down for a pair of image galleries from photographers Dave Vann and Andrew Rios.

Dead & Company – “Ramble On Rose” – 6/17/22