When two bands with overlapping audiences play in the same city on the same night and each struggles to sell enough tickets, it’s competition; when, instead, they both draw large crowds, easily filling two different venues simultaneously, it’s a testament to the strength of the live music scene. That was the case over the weekend as two New Jersey bands—jam upstarts Dogs In A Pile and Americana veterans Railroad Earth—crossed paths in Portland, OR.

Though each band is at a different stage in its career—one still climbing the ladder after just a few years of national touring while the other boasts a storied two-decade trajectory—both are at the top of their games. This dual success highlights the vitality of the jam band ecosystem and its ability to sustain artists who are willing to work the road. Even amidst a wave of bittersweet farewells from mid-2000s acts like Dopapod, Papadosio, and Twiddle, it’s heartening to see the energy and enthusiasm of live music fans fueling both rising talent and seasoned road warriors.

Within the Portland crowds, a wide range of demographics came out to show their support, ranging from middle-aged fans with decades of shows under their belts to young college kids barely old enough to stand in the 21-and-up section. During Railroad Earth’s show at Revolution Hall, one diehard devotee who had seen the band “hundreds of times” explained the concept of set break to someone who had never seen the band before, offering a snapshot of the community spirit that keeps the scene alive.

Related: Watch Dogs In A Pile Cover The Grateful Dead With Jerry Garcia’s Guitar & Phil Lesh’s Bass [Video]

Dogs In A Pile got the weekend started on Saturday with a totally sold-out show at The Get Down, a 400-capacity room that has become a launchpad for up-and-coming bands. It wasn’t the group’s first visit to Portland, but it was many attendees’ first experience seeing them. The energy in the room was electric, and by the end of a lighthearted first set, Dogs had clearly won over all those not already initiated.

Following a first frame that showcased the young band’s musical maturity with a set of mostly original songs and a playful cover of Steppenwolf‘s “Magic Carpet Ride”, DIAP dove much deeper in set two, showing they can improvise at an extremely high level in a multitude of styles. Their jammed-out cover of the Grateful Dead‘s “Feel Like a Stranger”—a nod to the band’s jam forefathers and namesake—was a highlight of the evening, as was the set-closing “Rabbit Suite” (“Rabbit” > “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane) and the raging “Stadium Rave” encore.

 

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Dogs In A Pile returned to The Get Down the following night, proving the age-old adage, “Never miss a Sunday show.” Highlights included a sit-in from Portland saxophonist Sean McClean (World’s Finest, Sean McLean and the Vibetenders), who joined in on a bluegrass version of “Trunk Rum” and a far-out cover of Grateful Dead fan favorite “Eyes of the World”.

Dogs In A Pile | The Get Down | Portland, OR | 1/26/25 [Full Show Pro-Shot]

Meanwhile, over at Revolution Hall, Railroad Earth closed out its West Coast tour with a polished performance that reflected both the band’s experience and its ongoing creative spark. Not unlike their younger counterparts, the septet saved the most impressive jams for the second set, which featured a special guest appearance by Portland local Scott Law, frequent collaborator of the late Phil Lesh and active member of his Terrapin Crossroads family.

Law shared lead vocal duties with Railroad frontman Todd Shaeffer during Jerry Garcia Band staple “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” (originally recorded by Marvin Gaye for Motown) and got into some serious quick-picking antics trading solos with mandolinist John Skehan. Matt Slocum‘s keyboard solos were also particularly potent and energizing, propelling the band with forward momentum throughout the night. The evening culminated with a trippy, high-energy jam on “Like a Buddha” before the band sent the crowd off with a “Came Up Smilin'” encore.

That two bands from New Jersey could travel across the country and fill two venues 3,000 miles from home on a Sunday night is proof that the jam band scene continues to thrive in 2025. With both bands tracing their roots back to the Grateful Dead (as evidenced by their choices of covers), their distinct styles demonstrate the genre’s evolution over the past 60 years. This celebration of musical diversity within the jam band community not only reflects its rich history but also inspires optimism for the future of live music.

Check out fan-shot videos from Railroad Earth at Revolution Hall and scroll down to view the setlists from all three shows. Dogs In A Pile tour continues with shows in Salt Lake City, Colorado, and beyond, while Railroad Earth has a couple weeks off before returning to the Mountain West. Find full tour details and ticketing information on Dogs‘ and Railroad‘s respective websites.

 

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Railroad Earth With Scott Law – “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” – 1/26/25

[Video: Rayna]

Railroad Earth With Scott Law – “Mourning Flies” – 1/26/25

[Video: Rayna]

Railroad Earth – “Like A Buddha” Jam – 1/26/25

Setlist: Dogs In A Pile | The Get Down | Portland, OR | 1/25/25

Set One: Ugly Song, Blues for Brian-> Magic Carpet Ride> My Disguise, 116 Days, G Song, Shenanigans
Set Two: You Didn’t Hear It From Me-> Thomas Duncan, Pt. 2 > Feel Like A Stranger, 6 Little Lies > Rabbit-> White Rabbit
Encore: Stadium Rave

Setlist: Dogs In A Pile | The Get Down | Portland, OR | 1/26/25

Set One: Didn’t You Know? > Four More Days, Go Set, Happy Song, Burning Daylight->Battenkill Breakdown > Song for the Dumped, Mr. Tooker
Set Two: Rinky Dink Rag > Tillie-> Craig and Pat-> Ghost Riders in the Sky-> Craig and Pat, Trunk Rum, Eyes of the World, None, Samba for Sam-> Por Que Pedro-> Samba for Sam
Encore: Say Something

Setlist: Railroad Earth | Revolution Hall | Portland, OR | 1/26/25

Set One: Walk Beside Me > Chasin’ A Rainbow, Railroad Earth, Luxury Liner, The Forecast, Lovin’ You, Reuben’s Train > Seven Story Mountain
Set Two: Elko, Bread & Water, Lonecroft Farewell, Mourning Flies*, How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)*, Slippin’ Away, Way of the Buffalo > Mighty River > Like a Buddha
Encore: Came Up Smilin’
*with Scott Law on guitar, as well as joining vocals on How Sweet It Is