This weekend, Phil Lesh & Friends celebrated the second of three runs saluting the hallowed month of October at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y. For the masterfully instrumented jamboree, the Grateful Dead founding member/bass guitarist was joined by his son Grahame Lesh, Goose guitarist Rick Mitarotonda, saxophonist James Casey, trombonist and vocalist Natalie Cressman, trumpeter and vocalist Jennifer Hartswick, John Medeski and John Molo.
Over the course of three evenings – from Friday, Oct. 21 through Oct. 23 – Lesh and the ensemble moved through the Great American songbook, masterfully tapping into the Grateful Dead’s iconic additions.
On Friday, highlights included “Tennessee Jed,” a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Big River,” “Dancing in the Street” > “Scarlet Begonias” with a reprise of “Dancing in the Street” during the first set; a six-song jam within the second set of “St. Stephen” > “The Eleven” > “Dark Star” > “The Other One” > Henry Whitter’s “Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad” and set closer, the appropriate “And We Bid You Goodnight” along with an encore of “Brokedown Palace.”
Phil & Friends kept the standard musical excellence high on Saturday with fan favorites including show opener “Bertha” along with “Althea,” Bob Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” “Touch of Grey,” and more in the first set; and a second set with choice songs like “China Cat Sun Flower,” “Brown-Eyed Women,” Jerry Garcia’s “The Wheel” and a fitting “One More Saturday Night” to close.
For the final evening of the mid-month portion of their October residency at The Capitol Theatre, Lesh and his talented friends reinforced the importance of not missing a Sunday show. Peaks included “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” a cover of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence,” and “U.S. Blues” in the first set. A firey and funky “Shakedown Street” opened the second frame, which also included “Mason’s Children,” Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle,” along with pristine renditions of “Estimated Prophet,” Unbroken Chain,” “Stella Blue,” and “Turn On Your Love Light.” For the encore, Lesh spoke about the importance of organ donation and thanked the band before closing with “Ripple.”
Phil Lesh & Friends will return next weekend to celebrate Halloween on Oct. 28, 29 and 31. Eric Krasno, Grahame Lesh, Nicki Bluhm, Jason Crosby and Tony Leone will serve as fixtures for the run, while Marcus King joins on Oct. 28 and 29, and Duane Betts will sit-in on Hallow’s eve.
Dino Perrucci captured select shots of the action from the weekend two below.
