Phil Lesh & Friends Close Out Celebratory Three-Night Stand At The Capitol Theatre [Photo/Video]

On Saturday, Phil Lesh & Friends returned to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY for their third and final show of Phil’s 79th birthday celebration. Saturday night’s band included the return of guitarists Grahame Lesh and Jackie Greene, keyboardist Benmont Tench, and drummer John Molo, as well as guitarist Luther Dickinson and vocalists Amy Helm and Allison Russell.

Phil Lesh & Friends opened up their first set with “Deal”, highlighted by Jackie Greene’s soulful vocal lead. The all-star cast of musicians continued with “Operator” and “High Time” before Luther Dickinson stepped front and center to lead his bandmates through a cover of Slim Harpo’s blues classic “I’m King Bee”. With Lesh and Molo locking into a tight-knit rhythmic pocket, Greene and Dickinson traded off scorching hot blues licks, while Phil & Friends newcomer Tench followed along on the grand piano. Greene stepped back up to lead the ensemble through “Tennessee Jed” before Amy Helm and Allison Russell made their first appearance of the night for a moving take on “Brokedown Palace”. “Sugaree” brought Saturday’s first set to a close, highlighted by some intricate piano work out of Tench’s corner.

The band returned to open their second set with “Viola Lee Blues”, as Lesh set the uptempo pace on his beautiful six-string Alembic bass. Moving out of “Viola Lee Blues”, Greene and Grahame Lesh traded off beautiful vocal leads on “Jack Straw” before the three guitarist worked through a series of explosive solos. “Caution (Don’t Stop On The Tracks)” off of the Grateful Dead‘s psychedelic 1968 album Anthem Of The Sun was up next, which was followed up by “Truckin'”. Tench stepped up to lead the band through “China Doll” before Lesh and company delivered a deep, exploratory “Lady With A Fan” into “Terrapin Station”. Helm and Russell reemerged to help the band close out their second set with “Morning Dew”.

Phil Lesh & Friends returned to the stage for a two-song encore beginning with a cover of Wilson Pickett‘s “In The Midnight Hour” before closing out their celebratory three-night run with a rockin’ take on “Turn On Your Lovelight”.

Phil Lesh & Friends – “Jack Straw”