Photo Credit: Cassidy Rose Friedman
This year’s Halloween festivities at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl were led by the Los Angeles-based Grateful Shred, who made the cross-country trek to the East Coast venue to deliver three consecutive nights of music—which set course on Thursday, Oct. 31. Last night’s show was all about the optics of costumes and theme, due in part to the band’s co-opted take on Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem character from Jim Henson’s The Muppet Show.
For the occasion, each band member adopted a persona from the 1975 sketch comedy: Austin McCutchen took on the role of bandleader and namesake Dr. Teeth, Mikaela Davis appeared as Janice, Adam MacDougall as Zoot, Dan Horne representing Floyd Pepper and John Lee Shannon posing as Lips. Drummers Austin Beede and Alex Koford filled out the lineup, stepping out as Statler and Waldorf, respectively, before transitioning to Animal during “Space.”
True to form, Shred dipped into the Grateful Dead songbook of original music and long-associated covers, beginning with a take on the Chuck Berry-penned “Promised Land,” a tune performed with regularity by the Dead in the 1970s. Sticking with the aforementioned era, the band played through Bob Weir’s Ace ringer, “Greatest Story Ever Told.” They continued to exemplify the time-stamped motif with the arrivals of “Ramble on Rose,” “Brown-Eyed Women,” and Cats Under the Stars originator, “Gomorrah.”
Touching on the locale of their native roots, the band jumped a decade with the arrival of the 1987 release “West LA Fadeaway.” “Dancin in the Streets” took the group into the evening’s set break. Ultimately, they returned for set two opener “Bertha,” followed up by the Johnny Cash original turned One from the Vault favorite, “Big River.” The night got funkier during “Shakedown Street” before dropping into an emotive take on “Cassidy.” An unfinished “Playing in the Band” merged into the second set instrumental interludes, “Drums” > “Space,” which included the drummers’ Animal crossover.
Striking a Halloween tone with their song choice, the band pulled in “Werewolves of London,” only to continue with the Keith and Donna Godchaux co-write/rarity, “Sweet Baby.” Spirits soared during “Me & Bobby McGee” and reached greater heights with crowd favorite turned encored sister tunes, “China Cat Sunflower” > “Rider.”
Continuing their Halloween run at Brooklyn Bowl, Grateful Shred will perform tonight, Friday, Nov. 1, and Saturday, Nov. 2. Tickets remain on sale and can be purchased here.
Scroll down to view images shot by photographer Cassidy Rose Friedman.
Grateful Shred
Brooklyn Bowl – Williamsburg, N.Y.
Oct. 31, 2024
Set I: Promised Land > Greatest Story Ever Told, Ramble on Rose, Brown Eyed Women, Gomorrah, West LA Fadeaway, Dancin’ in the Streets
Set II: Bertha, Big River, Shakedown Street, Cassidy, Playing in the Band > Space > Drums+ > Werewolves of London, Sweet Baby, Me & Bobby McGee
Enc.: China Cat Sunshine > I Know You Rider
Notes:
+ Austin Beede and Alex Koford started as Statler and Waldorf but transitioned into Animal during “Space”