Photo Credit: Stevo Rood
In continuation of their Final Tour, Dead & Company trucked upstate to Saratoga Springs, N.Y. This weekend’s return to the historic grounds of Saratoga Performing Arts Center, on June 17 and 18, was welcomed after the band canceled their 2022 appearance due to a family emergency that affected guitarist John Mayer. Over the two-day stretch, the ensemble ran through choice cuts, ranging from Grateful Dead compositions to traditional tunes and various covers.
To start their time in Upstate New York, the musicians–Bobby Weir, Mickey Hart, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, Jay Lane and Mayer–covered Sam Cooke’s “Good Times,” a song which captured the jubilant nature of the night as they tossed the iconic lines back and forth. Next, the band noodled into “Scarlet Begonias,” led by Weir, who crooned the favored lines. From one fan favorite to the next, they picked up “Deal,” adding gas to the fire and accentuating the heat of the Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter-penned tune.
Weir beckoned to his debut LP, Ace, with a fiery display of “Black-Throated Wind” before Mayer took over the mic on an ensuing rendition of “Dire Wolf.” Before capping their initial frame, the band ran through “Bird Song” before Weir, Mayer, Burbridge and Chimenti each delivered lines as they worked through “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad.” After a break from the stage, the players returned and cut into 1973 stylized “They Love Each Other,” representing a high point over the weekend as Mayer worked to pick up Garcia’s approach.
The second frame continued with “Lady with a Fan,” which blossomed into “Terrapin Station.” The set of songs merged effortlessly and presented a range of incomparable instrumental moments. From the cosmic underbelly of the favored Hunter-scribed tune, the band shifted into “He’s Gone,” which merged into the first part of “The Other One.” Hart’s second set staple, “Drums” and “Space,” pulled in themes from the microscopic world before warping into the second part of “The Other One.”
An emotive “Days Between” arrived prior to a hot rendition of “Love Light,” which got most of the crowd dancing into the encore, a nod to the day of the week with “One More Saturday Night.” After some rest, the band returned last night, Sunday, June 18, for their final stand at SPAC, picking up “Hell in a Bucket” to kick off the night. They landed on “Sugaree” next before adding a rendition of “Mississippi Half-Step.” One of the most talked about moments of the night occurred ensued, with the arrival of “Mr. Charlie,” which overflowed with fun.
The band added “Friend of the Devil” prior to their first pairing of Sunday’s show, “Lost Sailor” into “Saint of Circumstance,” both of which were led by Weir. Then, the group turned out “Big Railroad Blues” to conclude the first part of last night’s show. In typical fashion, the band returned in cut into the biblically dominant “Samson & Delilah,” a long-lasting Sunday staple accompanied by a roaring rhythm section. Weir picked up “Playing in the Band,” which unfolded into “Help on the Way” and “Slipknot!” The three-way coupling saw the band traverse through instrumental peaks and valleys until they ultimately arrived on Hart’s “Drums” and “Space” sequence–inspired by the natural beauty of the surrounding area and the sound of water.
For the final songs of their upstate stand, Dead & Company got serious on a cover of “Death Don’t Have No Mercy.” The politically infused “Throw Stones” merged with “Sugar Magnolia” to cap their secondary set. Then, the group of players returned to conclude their time in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with Warren Zevon’s classic “Werewolves of London,” which represented a tour debut. As the group landed on the final lyrics of their borrowed tune, they drifted into he final notes of “Playing in the Band” to conclude their time at SPAC.
After this weekend’s pair of concerts, Dead & Company will take a couple of days away from the stage before returning for their New York City run on Wednesday, June 21.
Scroll down to view setlists from this weekend’s shows.
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Dead & Company
Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
June 17, 2023
Set I: Good Time, Scarlet Begonias, Deal, Black-Throated Wind, Bird Song, GDTRFB
Set II: They Love Each Other > Terrapin Station > He’s Gone > The Other One V. 1 > Drums > Space > The Other One V. 2 > Days Between > Turn On Your Love Light
Enc.: One More Saturday Night
Dead & Company
Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
June 18, 2023
Set I: Hell in a Bucket, Sugaree, Mississippi Half-Step > Mr. Charlie, Friend of the Devil > Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance > Big Railroad Blues
Set II: Samson and Delilah, Playing in the Band > Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower > Drums > Space > Death Don’t Have No Mercy, Throwing Stones, Sugar Magnolia
Enc.: Werewolves of London > Playing Reprise
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