Phil Lesh Friends We’d Like To See | Nels Cline

Ever since Furthur revealed they will take a hiatus for most of 2014, we’ve been pondering the future for members of the band. We’re hopeful Joe Russo re-teams with Marco Benevento for a batch of Benevento-Russo Duo gigs in 2014 and Les Claypool broke the news that Bob Weir plans to tour with RatDog so we know what he’ll be up to with Jeff Chimenti. What about Phil Lesh? We imagine he’ll play plenty of shows at his Terrapin Crossroads venue and may even tour with Phil & Friends. With that in mind we wanted to point out a few potential Phil Lesh friends over the next few months.

[Via Fyeah Nels Cline]

Let’s start with Wilco guitarist Nels Cline. This outstanding performer is a musical chameleon who can adapt to any setting. At nearly every Wilco show Cline shows off his incredibly inventive skills during his “Impossible Germany” solo. Watch one of Nels’ “Impossible Germany” solos from a Live On Letterman appearance in 2011:

During this summer’s AmericanaramA tour Wilco embraced the music of the Grateful Dead by welcoming Bob Weir out for a number of guest spots. Wilco rocked “Friend of the Devil,” “Bird Song” and “Ripple” with Weir, but it was the Wilco/Weir versions of “St. Stephen” and “Dark Star” > “California Stars” > “Dark Star” that really displayed how amazing Cline would be as a member of Phil & Friends. Check out the Wilco/Weir “St. Stephen” from the AmericanaramA tour closer at Shoreline and tell us Cline and Lesh wouldn’t be a match made in heaven.