Photo Credit: Hana Gustafson

Over the weekend, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros pulled through the great Pacific Northwest region of the United States in continuation of their fall tour. The ensemble, guided by the Grateful Dead icon, followed the bandleader’s tracks back to historic Eugene, Ore., for a two-night stand at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, before popping up to Seattle’s Paramount Theatre on Sunday night, where they were joined by Jori Chisholm on bagpipes. The latter had previously united with Weir and his Ratdog collaborators on stage during a 2007 gig in the Emerald City. 

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros’ return to the Hult Center represented a continued history for the band’s namesake and the small Oregon college town that had welcomed the Grateful Dead on numerous times throughout their touring years. While Autzen Statudum was, more often than not, the band’s choice venue due in large part to its sprawling capacity, the group also took part in a three-night stand at the Hult Center from Aug. 29 through 31, 1983, and followed with a quick return on May 6 through 8, 1984.

Friday night’s stand began with a pairing of “Jack Straw” and “Bertha” before the band pulled out a cover of “Dark Hollow.” The tune represented a high point as Weir worked through the Bill Browning and His Echo Valley Boys’ number, which appeared on the Grateful Dead’s live double album, Reckoning, to the crowd and band’s delight. “Candyman” arrived next and brought out moments of superb harmonization before they took on “Odessa” and a hair-raising “Black-Throated Wind.” The night’s initial frame ended with a classic take on “Lost Sailor” into “Saint of Circumstance.” 

Oct. 21 also marked the band’s keyboardist Jeff Chimenti’s birthday. In celebration of the occasion, the group’s touring manager brought a cake to the stage before the band kicked into “Only a River,” capped with the first part of “Dark Star.” Next, Weir took his crowd South of the Border with “El Paso” and “Mexicali Blues.” “Two Djinn” was played next before “Estimated Prophet” flowed into “Stella Blue.” Finally, “Turn on Your Love Light” appeared prior to the night’s encore, a cover of Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.” 

Night two in Eugene, Ore., began with “My Brother Esau,” followed by a cover of Dylan’s “Queen Jane Approximately,” which beckoned to setlist past, particularly the Dead’s historic shared bill with the renowned musician on July 19, 1987, at Autzen Stadium, when they ran through the favored number. “Row Jimmy” was jammed before a cover of Bob McDill’s “Catfish John.” Then, the group worked in “Liberty” ahead of “Tennessee Jed.” Next, they completed night one’s “Dark Star” before closing the first frame on the politically infused “Throwing Stones,” just weeks ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. 

The band returned to the stage and started in on “Me and My Uncle,” followed by “I Need a Miracle” and “Scarlet Begonias,” which ran into a smoking rendition of “Fever” to begin the second frame. Then, “Uncle John’s Band” came before “Supplication” and was reprised ahead of a set ending, “Morning Dew.” For the night’s encore, the band continued the Saturday night tradition of performing “One More Saturday Night” and capped their time in Eugene, Ore., with a haunting “Brokedown Palace.” 

After their time in the Beaver State, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros trekked to Seattle for a single night at the Paramount Theatre. The Sunday night gig got underway with a fitting song choice when the group landed on the biblically-infused “Samson and Delilah.” “Mama Tried” arrived next; then, the group dipped into Jerry Garcia’s repertoire with a bone-chilling take on “Loser.” The night’s guest, Chisholm, applied euphoric bagpipes to a cover of John Prine’s “Great Rain” next. Then, their guest left the stage, leaving the billed musicians to deliver “She Says” and “Corrina,” which flowed into “Music Never Stops” and “Easy Answers.” 

For the second set, the group dug into a cover of Hank Williams and His Drifting Coybows’ “You Win Again” before returning to originals on “Bombs Away” and fan favorites “Casey Jones” and “Playing in the Band.” Next, “Greatest Story Ever Told” was delivered prior to Chisholm’s return to the stage. Once there, the bagpiper applied his instrumentation to “Hell in a Bucket,” “Wharf Rat,” and a set closing “Franklin’s Tower.” 

For their Pacific Northwest encore, the band concluded their Seattle stand with “Touch of Grey.” After this weekend’s activities, Weir and his band will drop down to Los Angeles for a one-night stand at the Greek Theatre on Oct. 25, ahead of their sold-out San Diego, Calif., performance on Oct. 26. For more information, visit bobweir.net. 

Scroll down to see the setlists from this weekend’s concerts. 

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros 

Hult Center for the Performing Arts – Eugene, Ore. 

Oct. 21, 2022 

Set I: Jack Straw > Bertha, Dark Hollow, Candyman, Odessa, Black-Throated Wind, Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance 

Set II: Happy Birthday to You+, Only a River, Dark Star, El Paso, Mexicali Blues, Two Djinn, Estimated Prophet > Stella Blue, Turn On Your Love Light 

Enc.: It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue

Notes:

+ Sung to Jeff Chimenti 

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros 

Hult Center for the Performing Arts – Eugene, Ore. 

Oct. 22, 2022 

Set I: My Brother Esau, Queen Jane Approximentally, Row Jimmy, Catfish John, Tennessee Jed, Dark Star > Throwing Stones

Set II: Me and My Uncle, I Need A Miracle > Scarlet Begonias > Fever > Uncle John’s Band > Supplication > Uncle John’s Band > Morning Dew

Enc.: One More Saturday Night, Brokedown Palace

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros 

Paramount Theatre – Seattle

Oct. 23, 2022 

Set I: Samson and Delilah, Mama Tried, Loser, Great Rain, She Says, Corrina, The Music Never Stopped, Easy Answers

Set II: You Win Again, Bombs Away, Casey Jones, Playing in the Band, Greatest Story Ever Told > Playing in the Band, Wharf Rat, Hell in a Bucket, Franklin’s Tower 

Enc.: Touch of Grey