Bob Weir Joins Dark Star Orchestra In San Francisco

Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir sat in with GD tribute act Dark Star Orchestra on Saturday. Bobby joined DSO during the finale of their two-night run at The Warfield in his hometown of San Francisco following opening night which featured Peter Rowan.

Dark Star Orchestra got things underway at The Warfield with one of Weir’s signature Dead songs “Feel Like A Stranger” followed by “Franklin’s Tower” and another classic Bobby tune, “The Music Never Stopped.” DSO then welcomed the man himself with Weir stepping in for his doppelganger in the band, guitarist Rob Eaton.

Bobby led the way on an expansive “Shakedown Street” ahead of his stellar tune with John Perry Barlow, “Cassidy.” Weir would stick around for the rest of the set beginning with the classic pairing of “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider,” which together hit 20 minutes. Bobby lent some strong lead vocals to “Morning Dew” to close out the set.

DSO went it alone to open up the second set but kept things Weir’d with a “Sugar Magnolia’ set two opener and a well jammed “Playing In The Band” after “Rubin and Cherise.” “Uncle John’s Band” would then be split by “Drums” and “Space” ahead of Traffic’s “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys.” “Viola Lee Blues” then prefaced a return to “Playin’” to finish off the second frame. For the encore, DSO delivered the San Francisco-centric Dead-rarity, “Mission In The Rain.”

Watch fan-shot video of Bobby with DSO on “Shakedown Street,” “China” > “Rider” and “Morning Dew” below: