After months of anticipation, Dead & Company began their summer tour with a fiery performance at the PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, NC last night. The opener was something of a controversial concert, with various big name artists like Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam cancelling their shows in the state over the discriminatory HB-2 law. Dead & Company issued a statement recently, pledging $100,000 to local activist groups in support of LGBTQ rights. With that good will and the Grateful love, Dead & Co got to work on a monster two set showcase.

The group had kept themselves warmed up with some television appearances throughout the early part of 2016, as well as a free performance at The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA. With a large tour schedule ahead, Dead & Company kicked off their summer proper with an opening selection of “The Music Never Stopped.” Fitting, for all the music that was about to come.

From there, the first set wound into “Cold, Rain & Snow” and “Friend Of The Devil,” with John Mayer taking lead vocals on each selection. Mayer took lead on “They Love Each Other” as well, before Bob Weir stepped up for the first and only debut of the night, “Liberty.” With summer looming, it’s no surprise that this airy song is on the band’s repertoire for the days ahead. “Cassidy” and Chuck Berry’s “The Promised Land” ended the set.

The band kept the jams flowing in the second half, opening up with a breezy “Eyes of the World.” The band did not stop playing throughout the whole second set, segueing straight into a bluesy “Deal” and rocking “Estimated Prophet.” From there, the band shifted into a “Drums” and “Space” segment, with Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart taking the lead on drums. The “Spacey” psychedelic jam ended with a rockin’ “Feel Like A Stranger,” before the set took a cool down moment in “Black Peter.” The Workingmans Dead song kept things shuffling, and a “Turn On Your Lovelight” brought things to a grand close.

With a hard 11 PM curfew, Dead & Company called it a night without an encore. Next up for the band is a trip to Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival this Sunday, June 12th. Check out full audio from last night’s show and the setlist in full, below.

Setlist: Dead & Company at PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC – 6/10/16

Set I: The Music Never Stopped bw, Cold Rain & Snow jm, Friend Of The Devil bw jm, They Love Each Other jm, Liberty bw, Cassidy bw, The Promised Land bw

Set II: Eyes of the World bw > Deal jm > Estimated Prophet bw > Drums/ Space > Feel Like A Stranger bw > Black Peter bw > Turn On Your Lovelight bw 

[Photo via Dead & Company Instagram]