Photo by Chloe Weir
Dead & Company returned to Las Vegas’ the Sphere for the second night of their second week at the experiential venue. Before Dead & Company’s run, there was some question if the group would repeat their setlists each weekend due to their accompanying visuals. But while the ensemble has revisited some visual elements from night to night, they are not only crafting unique setlists for each show but also continuing to mix in material they have not played yet this run.
After opening last night’s show with two tunes they did perform last weekend, “Bertha” and “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” Dead & Company offered their first take on Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ Dead-adopted favorite “Dancing in the Street” since last June. After The Olympics’ “Good Lovin’,” which they performed opening weekend at the Sphere, Dead & Company busted out a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Bringing It All Back Home” classic “Maggie’s Farm” a night after the Bard’s birthday. The only other time Dead & Company covered the Dylan tune was on July 13, 2016, making it the biggest bust out in the group’s history.
Though the outfit performed all the songs during their second set previously at the Sphere, they continued to offer some choice moments of improvisation. After kicking set two off with “Shakedown Street,” they moved into the classic pairing of “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider.” From there, the band segued from “Eyes of the World” into “Drums” and “Space” and then “Black Peter.” (Dead & Company arranged to have a camera on the roof of Sphere on Saturday night that captured the full moon, projected that moon photo inside during “Black Peter.”) Another run from “Brown-Eyed Women” into “Hell in a Bucket” and a standalone “Throwing Stones” closed out the sequence. Following the video clips from past Dead news coverage, Dead & Company encored with the sing-along “Casey Jones.”
Dead & Company will close their second weekend at the Sphere tonight.
Heere’s a look at last night’s setlist via Setlist.fm
Saturday, May 25, Sphere, Las Vegas, NV
Set I: Bertha,Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,Dancin in the Streets,Good Lovin,Maggie’s Farm, Deal
Set II:Shakedown Street,China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider,Eyes of the World > Drums > Space > Black Peter,Brown-Eyed Women > Hell in a Bucket,Throwing Stones
E: Casey Jones
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