Last night, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros played their second benefit concert at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, Calif. The show was in honor of the memory of a long-time friend and the personal driver of Weir and his wife, Rob Lawson, who died in the fall of 2021. The evening before was in benefit of Robin Sylvester, who played bass for Weir’s band RatDog and is currently ill. The evening featured an array of beloved and iconic covers and sit-ins from guitarists Billy Strings, Matty Michna and bassist Les Claypool.

Bob Weir & Wolf Bros, comprised of Weir (guitar/vocals), Don Was (bass), Jay Lane (percussion), Jeff Chimenti (keyboard) and Barry Sless (pedal steel guitar), opened the night with Grateful Dead classic, “The Music Never Stopped” which contained a cover of Rob Wasserman’s “Easy Answers.” Weir then led the band through his 1972 single “Cassidy,” a cover of Bob Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” and “Ramble On Rose.” Next, guitarist and Weir protégé Matty Mischna joined the ensemble on stage to cover Sonny Boy Williamson’s blues standard “Good Morning, School Girl,” and the Grateful Dead’s “Tennesee Jed.” Mischna then departed from the stage, and Weir and his band closed out the set with “Jack Straw.”

Weir and his band opened the second set of the evening with a revival of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” They then played a jam of “Scarlet Begonias” into “Eyes of the World” into “Big Sandy Creek,” which flowed into a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” which led back into “Eyes of the World.” Mischna returned to the stage for “Eyes of the World” and stayed on stage for “Big Sandy Creek,” written by the late Robert Hunter and Weir and debuted less than a year ago on April 24, 2021.

Next, surprise guest, Strings came on stage for his first collaboration with Weir. He joined them for “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider.” Strings shared lead vocals with Weir on both songs over 19-minutes. Strings left the stage as Weir & Wolf Bros performed covers of the Dead’s “Stella Blue” and “Sugar Magnolia.” Then, to the audience’s delight, Strings returned to the stage with Primus founder Claypool. The ensemble delivered the second Beatles cover of the evening, “Tomorrow Never Knows.” Strings remained on stage for the final track of the evening, “Brokedown Palace.”

Today, Weir announced two shows at Radio City Music Hall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ace, on April 2 and 3. Read more here.

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros
Sweetwater Music Hall – Mill Valley, CA
Feb. 28, 2022

Set I: The Music Never Stopped > Easy Answers > Music Never Stopped (reprise), Cassidy, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Ramble On Rose, Good Morning, School Girl, Tennessee Jed, Jack Straw

Set II: Blackbird, Scarlet Begonias > Eyes of the World > Big Sandy Creek > What’s Going On > Eyes of the World (reprise), China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Stella Blue, Sugar Magnolia, Tomorrow Never Knows, Brokedown Palace