Photo by Silky Shots via Billy & The Kids on Facebook

Bill Kretuzmann’s expanded Billy & The Kids lineup played their first of two nights at Red Rocks on July 12. Dubbed by the Grateful Dead drummer as “Grateful Mahalo Reprise,” the gig included Kretuzmann, Billy Strings, Tom Hamilton, Reed Mathis, Aron Magner and James Casey. This show – and the following Tuesday, July 13 outing – are the lineup’s first live-audience shows.

The night began with “China Cat Sunflower” which set a familiar atmosphere for long-time fans of the Grateful Dead at the legendary amphitheater. However, the lineup didn’t wait long to show the crowd that this show was truly something new as they unleashed “Thunder,” a song comprised of lyrics penned by the late great Robert Hunter that was further updated by Billy Strings.

Billy & The Kids continued their first set with an array of covers: Phish’s “Back On The Train,” Norton Buffalo’s “Ain’t No Bread in the Breadbox,” Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street” along with tracks from Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.

As the night went on and the band came back for their second set, the group continued to conjure up the magic of the Dead mixed with something new. They began with “Scarlet Begonias” which mixed into a cover of Jimmy Cliff’s “Sitting in Limbo.” Then came “Eyes of the World” which led to a standout “Eyes of the World”> “Bird Song”> “The Other One”> “Bird Song Reprise” segment.

“Wake Up Little Susie” closed the show, and the lineup encored with a mind-bending “Drums” before “Fire on the Mountain” and “U.S. Blues.”

The second night of the sold-out Dead On the Rocks run is available to watch Live on FANS.live tonight – July 13 – at 9 p.m. ET.

Check out the full setlist and a clip of the opener below:

Billy & The Kids: Dead On The Rocks
July 12, 2021
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colo.

Set I: China Cat Sunflower> Thunder, Brown-Eyed Women, Ain’t No Bread in the Breadbox> Back on the Train, Deal, Positively 4th Street, Feel Like a Stranger

Set II: Scarlet Begonias> Sitting in Limbo, Eyes of the World> Bird Song> The Other One> Bird Song Reprise, So Many Roads, Wake Up Little Susie

Enc: Drums> Fire on the Mountain, U.S. Blues