Dead & Company kept the four-show run in Colorado moving on Friday at sold-out Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre in Englewood. Once again, the six-piece ensemble featuring Bob Weir, John Mayer, Jeff Chimenti, Oteil Burbridge, and Mickey Hart took the stage with Jay Lane, who has replaced drummer Bill Kreutzmann for the past two Colorado shows on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Before the show, Dead & Company announced on Twitter that Kruetzmann would miss the Fiddler’s Green opener, as well as night two on Saturday (10/23).

“Our brother Bill Kreutzmann continues to be on the mend from a non-Covid related illness,” wrote the band on Friday afternoon. The post went on to provide fans with some good news, confirming that he “will be back with us in Phoenix” when the band plays the Ak-Chin Pavilion on Monday night (10/25).

Despite the absence of their brother and founding Grateful Dead drummer, Dead & Company didn’t hesitate to “Let The Good Times Roll”, opening the show at Fiddler’s Green with the Sam Cooke cover which D&C debuted earlier this year. As usual, JonBo took center stage for the first verse, followed by Weir, and finally, Chimenti, who sang his portion while banging along on his piano.

Dead & Company – “Let The Good Times Roll” – 10/22/21

From there came “Feel Like A Stranger”, which fell in the two-hole, clocked in at over 14 minutes, and saw Weir lead a hefty jam. A second consecutive Go to Heaven track followed, “Alabama Getaway”, providing the Fiddler’s Green crowd with a healthy dose of energy, before tipping a cap to Denver with “Me And My Uncle”. Mayer channeled the blues with the Elmore James-penned “It Hurts Me Too”, followed by the classic Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia standard, “Ramble On Rose”.

Moving towards the latter half of the first frame, Burbridge gave his vocal cords a stretch with another Dead track, “If I Had The World To Give”, giving way to Mayer for another Hunter/Garcia tune, “Deal”. As the jam progressed on “Deal”, Weir brought the band back to a set-closing reprise of “Let The Good Times Roll”.

“Sugaree” saw placement as the second set opener for only the second time in the band’s history and, as always, contained soulful vocals and guitar work from Mayer. Mayer and Chimenti got comfortable together here, stretching “Sugaree” past 14 minutes before dipping into an always-welcomed “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” segment.

Dead & Company – “Sugaree” – 10/22/21

A lengthy “Dark Star” finally found its home with a segue to “The Other One”, which saw Mickey Hart and The Beam melt into yet another “Drums” > “Space” with Jay Lane. D&C made its way to “Dark Star” and then “The Other One”, allowing Weir to finish up those second verses before diving headfirst into another Hunter/Garcia staple, “Wharf Rat”.

Weir then helped the band close out the second frame with the American Beauty standard, “Sugar Magnolia”, before coming back with a one-song encore of “The Weight”. This The Band cover, as always, came with vocal contributions from Weir, Mayer, Burbridge, and Chimenti—along with the sold-out crowd at Fiddler’s Green.

Dead & Company will gracefully return to Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre tonight, October 23rd, for a fourth night in The Centennial State, before heading off to Phoenix, AZ on Monday, reunited with Bill Kreutzmann. For a full list of tour dates, visit the band’s website.

Below, you can check out a full gallery of photos from the performance courtesy of photographer Andrew Rios, as well as a detailed setlist.

Setlist: Dead & Company | Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre | Englewood, CO | 10/22/21

Set One: Let the Good Times Roll, Feel Like a Stranger, Alabama Getaway, Me and My Uncle, It Hurts Me Too, Ramble On Rose, If I Had the World to Give, Deal > Let the Good Times Roll

Set Two: Sugaree, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Dark Star > The Other One > Drums > Space > Dark Star > The Other One > Wharf Rat > Sugar Magnolia

Encore: The Weight

Notes: Jay Lane replaced Bill Kreutzmann, who was out due to medical issues.