Photo Credit: Stevo Rood
Last night, April 22, Phil Lesh & Friends arrived at Skull & Roses in Ventura, Calif. The performance represented the final listing on Saturday’s schedule and saw the Grateful Dead’s original bassist jam through favored material alongside Duane Betts, Jason Crosby, John Molo, Jennifer Hartswick, James Casey, Natalie Cressman and Grahame Lesh.
The weekend frame heated up with “Help on the Way,” led by Casey, who delivered the famous lyrics penned by Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia. Meandering jams showed off every player’s skills and elevated the performance as they moved in and out of numbers from the Grateful Dead’s premiere songbook.
“Playing in the Band” represented a high point from Saturday’s set, with Grahame Lesh taking on the iconic lines supported by lively horns and Crosby’s distinctive key work. From one fan favorite to the next, the group presented their audience with a stunning rendition of “Terrapin Station,” which saw the father and son duo toss the stirring lyrics back and forth.
In time Crosby brought out his trusty violin, adding it to the night’s take on “Cumberland Blues.” The instrumental addition took the tune beyond the cosmos, with Grahame Lesh cutting into the Workingman’s Dead lyrics with speed and finesse–he was joined by his father and fellow bandmates to deliver the song’s final lines.
On location was photographer Stevo Rood, who captured shots from Phil Lesh & Friend’s Saturday set at Skull & Roses. Scroll down to view more.
Later today, Lesh and his band will return to the stage at Skull & Roses for their final stand, which is set to commence at 5 p.m. P.S.T. Watch the action live via Relix’s YouTube.
