On Saturday, Oct. 29, Greensky Bluegrass hosted their one-off Halloween celebration at The Warfield in San Francisco. 

In classic Grateful Dead style, the show kicked off with a Bill Graham-inspired announcement, which was conducted by renowned Grateful Dead photographer Jay Blakesberg, in the beginning of the show introducing each member of the band by name, plus auxiliary player Holly Bowling on keys. 

As advertised on social media, the Michigan-bred outfit had Deadheads in attendance properly excited for “a rare and important” celebration of the Grateful Dead, and they did not disappoint, immediately appearing onstage in all-white Go To Heaven attire.  

Appropriately, the Go To Heaven cut “Feel Like A Stranger” opened the show. 

“It’s good to see y’all,” dobroist Anders Beck said to the crowd after the band properly warmed up. “How ya doin’? How ya feelin’? You look great.”

Grateful Dead tunes continued throughout the evening, with Greensky Bluegrass also remaining true to their own songbook: Originals like “Burn Them” and “Past My Prime” held their own alongside Dead favorites like “Jack Straw” and “Let It Grow.” 

Later, in the midst of set two, Holly Bowling finished up yet another scorching keys solo, this time on “Going down the Road Feelin’ Bad.” And while Bowling’s skills were consistently highlighted throughout the night, she was not the only guest on stage: Josh Clark, from opener Tea Leaf Green, eventually joined the group for their encore “U.S. Blues.”

Greensky Bluegrass
The Warfield – San Fransisco
Oct. 29, 2022

Set I: Feel Like a Stranger (Grateful Dead cover), Old Barns, Reasons to Stay, It Must Have Been the Roses (Robert Hunter cover),  Until I Sing, Burn Them, Let It Grow (Grateful Dead cover), Grow Together

Set II: Worry For You, Jack Straw (Grateful Dead cover), Past My Prime, They Love Each Other (Jerry Garcia cover), What You Need, Don’t Lie, St. Stephen (Grateful Dead cover), Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad (Henry Whitter cover), St. Stephen (Grateful Dead cover) (reprise), Don’t Lie (reprise)

Enc.: U.S. Blues (Grateful Dead cover)