Greensky Bluegrass and pianist Holly Bowling, a.k.a. 6reensky, gave new meaning to the phrase “channel the dead” Saturday night at The Warfield in San Francisco, CA. Joined by Bay Area jam band Tea Leaf Green as support, GSBG and Bowling summoned spirits of a different kind as they weaved Grateful Dead covers into two sets while dressed in all white suits as the Dead did on the cover of the band’s 1980 album, Go To Heaven.

Following an opening set from Tea Leaf Green, photographer Jay Blakesberg mustered up his best Bill Graham impression to introduce the members of Greensky Bluegrass and Holly Bowling just as the famed concert promoter does on One From The Vault, a live Grateful Dead album recorded right down the road at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall on August 13th, 1975. The band then set the mood for dancing with a groovy, set-opening “Feel Like A Stranger”.

6reensky mixed in some originals next, including “Old Barns” and “Reasons To Stay”, before debuting the Dead’s “Must Have Been The Roses”. Next came originals “Murder Of Crows” and “Burn Them” ahead of the relatively rare “Exuberance” and a set-closing play on words, the Dead’s “Let It Grow” and GSBG’s “Grow Together”.

6reenskky kicked off set two with “Worry For You”, a song off Greensky’s new album, Stress Dreams. The sextet then played “Jack Straw”, which has appeared on GSBG setlists before, but not since 2009, per Phantasy Tour. Next came “Past My Prime” and the band’s debut of the Dead’s “They Love Each Other”, followed by “What You Need”. 6reensky in true Grateful Dead fashion with multi-layered jam sandwich featuring “Don’t Lie” > “St. Stephen” > “Going Down The Road Feelin’ Bad” > “St. Stephen” > “Don’t Lie”.

For the encore, 6reensky welcomed Tea Leaf Green guitarist Josh Clark to sit in on “U.S. Blues”, marking the sixth and final Dead cover of the night.

View photos and fan-shot videos from Saturday’s show below.

Jay Blakesberg Introduces Greensky Bluegrass and Holly Bowling As Bill Graham – 10/29/22

[Video: Max Berde]

Greensky Bluegrass With Holly Bowling (6reensky) – “Feel Like A Stranger” (Grateful Dead) – 10/29/22

[Video: PNWwaverider]

Greensky Bluegrass With Holly Bowling (6reensky) – “Jack Straw” (Grateful Dead) – 10/29/22

[Video: Max Berde]

Greensky Bluegrass With Holly Bowling (6reensky) – “They Love Each Other” (Grateful Dead) – 10/29/22

[Video: Max Berde]

Greensky Bluegrass With Holly Bowling (6reensky) – “St. Stephen” (Grateful Dead) > “Going Down The Road Feeling Bad” (Traditional) – 10/29/22

[Video: Max Berde]

Greensky Bluegrass With Holly Bowling (6reensky) – “U.S. Blues” (Grateful Dead) Ft. Josh Clark – 10/29/22

[Video: Max Berde]

Greensky Bluegrass With Holly Bowling (6reensky) – 10/29/22 [Full Show]

[Video: Must Have Media]

Click to view more videos

Setlist: Greensky Bluegrass With Holly Bowling (6reensky) | The Warfield | San Francisco, CA | 10/29/22

Set 1: Feel Like a Stranger (Grateful Dead) [1] [2], Old Barns, Reasons to Stay, Must Have Been the Roses (Grateful Dead) [2], Murder of Crows, Burn Them, Exuberance > Let It Grow (Grateful Dead) [2] > Grow Together

Set 2: Worry for You > Jack Straw (Grateful Dead), Past My Prime, They Love Each Other (Grateful Dead) [2], What You Need, Don’t Lie > Saint Stephen (Grateful Dead) [2] > Don’t Lie > Going Down the Road Feeling Bad (Traditional) > Don’t Lie > Saint Stephen (Grateful Dead) > Don’t Lie

Encore: U.S. Blues (Grateful Dead) [2] [3]

Notes:
Grateful Dead “One From the Vault” style band intros over Help on the Way vamp
[1] first time played
[2] W/ Josh Clark (guitar and vocals)