Photo Credit: Stevo Rood

Last night, Dead & Company continued their Final Tour by stopping at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. During the show, the band worked through two frames of music, pulling from the Grateful Dead’s studio and live catalog, from fan-favorite originals to choice covers; the music kept the crowd dancing from beginning to end. The evening’s high points include tour debuts of King Radio’s “Man Smart, Woman Smarter” and Marty Robbins’ “El Paso,” which saw bandleader Bobby Weir pull out the acoustic guitar. 

Thursday night soared as attendees were treated to “Man Smart, Woman Smarter,” which kicked the set into high gear. From Weir’s crooning message of equality, the players picked up an ensuing delivery of the rhythm-laden “Shakedown Street,” which merged into a John Mayer-led “Cold Rain & Snow.” As the group pushed the final note of the Obray Ramsey classic, they inched their way into their following numbers, “Jack Straw” and “Brown-Eyed Women.” 

The high-powered sonic landscape from the first verse of “Dark Star” merged into the second tour debut with the night’s arrival of “El Paso,” featuring Weir’s strums on acoustic guitar. Next, the band capped the concert’s first half with a take on Henry Thomas’ “Don’t Ease Me In,” giving the audience more reason to get up and groove. After a break from the stage, Dead & Company returned, noodling into an Oteil Burbridge-dominated “Fire on the Mountain,” paired with “New Speedway Boogie” sung by Weir. Jeff Chimenti flexed his skills with the arrival of “Estimated Prophet,” he accentuated his work on the keys during “Eyes of the World,” which inevitably launched into Mickey Hart’s “Drums” and “Space” segments. 

From the depths of Hart’s rhythmic display birthed, the second verse of “Dark Star” picked up from the show’s first half. The aforementioned tune ran over into “Cumberland Blues.” Then, the night slowed with the arrival of an emotionally infused “Standing on the Moon” before the entire band traded lyrics during the set-ending rendition of “Not Fadeaway.” For the night’s encore, the Philadelphia crowd was treated to “Ripple.”

After yesterday’s performance, Dead & Company will take tonight off before returning to the stage tomorrow for two back-to-back gigs at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Both shows are sold out; for those unable to attend in person, stream the concerts via nugs.net. 

Scroll down to view last night’s setlist. 

Dead & Company 

Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia

June 15, 2023 

Set I: Man Smart, Woman Smarter+, Shakedown Street > Cold Rain and Snow, Jack Straw, Brown-Eyed Women, Dark Star V. I > El Paso+%, Don’t Ease Me In 

Set II: Fire on the Mountain > New Speedway Boogie, Estimated Prophet > Eyes of the World > Drums > Space > Dark Star V. II > Cumberland Blues > Standing on The Moon > Not Fade Away 

Enc.: Ripple 

Notes: 

+ Tour debut 

% Weir on acoustic guitar