Bob Weir & Wolf Bros Play Chinese New Year Concert Livestream

continued the Grateful Dead tradition of Chinese New Year shows with a livestream concert on Friday from Weir’s TRI Studios in San Rafael, California. Bobby and the band fit in a number of Wolf Bros debuts and also welcomed the The Wolf Pack string and horn ensemble for most of the second set.

Weir got things started with a solo acoustic rendition of “Easy To Slip,” a Little Feat song written by Lowell George and songwriting collaborator Martin Kibbee which Weir included on his 1978 solo album, Heaven Help The Fool. The Wolf Bros — drummer Jay Lane and bassist Don Was — thentook the stage along with special guests keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and pedal steel guitarist Greg Leisz as Bobby headed into the Wolf Bros debut of “Only A River,” a Weir co-write with Josh Ritter appearing on Bobby’s 2016 LP, Blue Mountain. Weir then picked up Fender Stratocaster for another Wolf Bros debut, this time of the Grateful Dead classic “Brown-Eyed Women,” which sounded great with pedal steel touches with Greg taking a couple of nice rides as well.

Bobby then took a moment to address the internet audience, many of which he could see on screens set up in front of the band. “Normally under these circumstances, y’all would be free to speak amongst each other and all that kind of stuff,” Weir said. “But y’all are separated though, so I’ve been coached…to make conversation. So we’re gonna make a feeble attempt to do that this evening.” Bobby then picked up his acoustic guitar again for “El Paso,” “in the key of D,” he said. Bobby then led the band through the Marty Robbins cowboy classic and took a solo as well. “Hopefully next time we do this, we will be able to hear y’all.” Bobby said ahead of the Wolf Bros debut of the Hunter/Garcia composition, “Misson In The Rain” (Weir last performed the song on July 2, 2014). The Dead classic “Tennessee Jed” came next followed by the RatDog song “Two Djnn” ahead of the Wolf Bros unveiling of “Brother Esau” (Last time played by Weir Summer 2014 as well) to close out the first frame.

The second set got underway with yet another Wolf Bros debut, “Train In Vain.” Bobby led the 5-piece through The Clash classic, which he began covering in the Furthur era. The song saw Bobby delivering a few edgy solos on his Fender. To preface “Playing In The Band” as the Wolf Pack string and horn ensemble trickled in, Bobby said, “This one I wrote a long time ago…actually David Crosby came up with the seminal lick.” Weir then began playing one of the song’s iconic riffs. “He came up with this…and then he left.” He continued: “Then we were out at Mickey’s barn…so Mickey said, ‘make a song out of that.’ And the next day I had it.” The band then launched into “Playing,” which featured a jam kicked off by the Wolf Pack and capped off by a smokin’ clarinet solo from Sheldon Brown before the 5-piece got into a minor jam and created a gorgeous, pedal steel led landing to head into “Uncle John’s Band,” also a Wolf Bros debut which featured some tasty touches from the Wolf Pack — cellist Alex Kelly, trumpeter Brian Switzer, trombonist Adam Theis and violinist Mads Tolling along with woodwind specialist Brown — with the ensemble leading the band back into “Playing” for its conclusion.

A fairly laid back version of “Truckin” followed which also featured a great arrangement by Wolf Pack punctuated by bawdy horn hits. The 10-piece then found their way into the opening strains of “Eyes Of The World,” which saw a trumpet solo from Switzer. Next, The Wolf Pack took a well-deserved breather during “Standing On The Moon” with the five-piece going it alone on the poignant Hunter/Garcia number. Wolf Pack would return for the classic pairing of “China Cat Sunflower” into “I Know You Rider” before the 10-piece closed things out with the vintage Dead favorite, “Brokedown Palace.”

Watch sneak peek videos from the first and second sets below via the JamBase Live Video Archive:

Set One Sneek Peek

Set Two Sneek Peek

Setlist (via Bob Weir Instagram)

Set One: Easy To Slip#, Only A River**, Brown Eyed Women**, El Paso, Mission In The Rain, Tennessee Jed, Two Djinn, My Brother Esau**

Set Two: Train In Vain**, Playing In The Band > Uncle John’s Band** > Playing In The Band, Truckin’ > Eyes Of The World, Standing On The Moon, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Brokedown Palace

Notes:

• # – Bob Weir solo
• ** Wolf Bros debut
• Mission In The Rain LTP by Weir 7/24/14
• Brother Esau LTP by Weir 6/14/14
• Train In Vain LTP by Weir 4/24/13
• All songs in second set w/The Wolf Pack except Train In Vain & Standing On The Moon