Photo Credit: Bill Kelly
After the passing of influential saxophonist and jazz icon Wayne Shorter yesterday, March 2, Bobby Weir and Wolf Bros followed up by paying tribute to the late musician during their concert at Stephens Auditorium in Ames, Iowa, last night. The ensemble dedicated their rendition of “Weather Report Suite” to Shorter during the evening’s initial frame and dropped a debut of the late musician’s standard “Footprints.”
Weir’s stand in The Hawkeye State commenced with “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” before the billed musicians kicked into “Salt Lake City,” which merged into “He’s Gone” and an ensuing take on fan favorite “Brown-Eyed Women.” To follow, the seasoned players ran through “Passenger” before picking up a cover of the Bob Dylan-penned “Maggie’s Farm.”
The next number was a dedication to Shorter, who famously founded the fusion group Weather Report in 1970. Last night’s performance boasted a complete “Weather Report Suite,” which included a favored addition, “Let It Grow.” The opening number was a dedication to Shorter, and its second half marked the conclusion of the first frame.
Upon their return from set break, the group launched into “Playing in the Band,” which rolled into “Scarlet Begonias” and “Viola Lee Blues.” The night’s delivery of “Footprints” arrived alongside The Beatles’ “Come Together.” After jamming on the Abbey Road classic, Jeff Chimenti pivoted into a debut of Shorter’s “Footprints,” at which point Jay Lane addressed the audience and the heavens, “Thank you, Wayne! Wayne Shorter, where are you right now?”
From there, the second set veered into a bust out of Bobby & The Midnights’ “Josephine,” a song that was last performed live on March 29, 2019. Then, they moved into “I Need A Miracle, ” paired with Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.” Next, “Black Peter” emerged before the band capped their frame on “Casey Jones.”
Applause brought the group back to the stage for their encore, a take on “Liberty,” which included a “Playing in the Band” reprise, which beckoned to their second set starter. After capping their time in Iowa, Weir and Wolf Bros will take tonight off before returning to the stage tomorrow in Omaha, Neb. Tickets remain on sale and can be purchased here.
Stream last night’s concert via nugs.net, below.
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Bobby Weir and Wolf Bros
Stephens Auditorium – Ames, Iowa
March 2, 2023
Set I: Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Salt Lake City > He’s Gone > Brown-Eyed Women, Passenger, Maggie’s Farm, Weather Report Suite > Let It Grow
Set II: Playing in the Band > Scarlet Begonias > Viola Lee Blues, Come Together > Footprints+ > Josephine*, I Need A Miracle > Watchtower > Black Peter, Casey Jones
Enc.: Liberty, Playing in the Band (Reprise)
Notes:
+ Debut cover of Wayne Shorter’s original
* Bust out, last played March 29, 2019
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