Photo by Larson Sutton

Last night, a sold-out crowd at The Met in Pawtucket, R.I, welcomed two sets from Melvin Seals and JGB that featured a guest appearance by Ron Holloway on saxophone who joined the quartet for the entire evening. The 140-minute performance was dotted with a slew of classics from Jerry Garcia Band’s live repertoire and a few nods to Garcia’s “other” band, the Grateful Dead.  Led by Seals and guitarist/singer John Kadlecik, the five surprised the full house, unveiling a first-set extended rendition of the Dead’s “Eyes of the World,” and a second-set take on Bob Weir’s “Cassidy.”  

With lines of fans around the block–and the venue, at capacity, regrettably turning some away–Seals and Co., kicked off the evening with a taut “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You),” which led into the first of a trio of cuts from Garcia’s famed Cats Under The Stars album on this night, easing into “Love In The Afternoon.”  After a rollicking rendition of Van Morrison’s “Bright Side of the Road” that featured a terrific solo from Seals, the five moved through two more R&B nuggets: “In the Midnight Hour” and “The Way You Do The Things You Do” – before Holloway’s sax began floating over the familiar chords of “Eyes of the World.”  

The audience, too, responded immediately as Kadlecik led the Dead staple through exceptional solo breaks from Holloway and himself, earning bursts of cheers from the faithful and a full smile from Seals. The expansive “Eyes” dovetailed into a sound collage led by bassist John-Paul McLean and drummer Jeremy Hoenig, emerging into a Holloway-driven instrumental nod to Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke.”  The ensemble then closed the first frame with The Meters’ “Hey Pocky A-way,” shining with staccato stabs and jabs from Seals on his inimitable Hammond B-3 organ.

The second half started with King Floyd’s “I Feel Like Dynamite,” then shifted into a nuanced and atmospheric “Cassidy,” as Kadlecik delighted with a beautiful middle solo. Eric Clapton’s rolling “Lay Down Sally” followed before dazzling with a pairing of Cats cuts, “Don’t Let Go” and “Reuben and Cherise.” After the lovely gospel-tinged “My Sisters and Brothers,” the five reached a final glorious crescendo with a scintillating “Deal” that brought the performance to a close.

Melvin Seals and JGB will appear this evening at Cohoes Music Hall in Cohoes, N.Y., as their Spring tour of the Northeast continues, including two nights in Rochester, N.Y., and Ardmore, Penn., plus a stop at Port Chester, N.Y.’s Capitol Theatre. The band is on the bill, as well, at Ventura, Calif.’s Skull and Roses Festival on April 19-23. 

For more tour information, visit www.melvinsealsandjgb.com