Bill Kreutzmann Sits Out Dead & Company Red Rocks Show: Setlist, Recap & The Skinny

Dead & Company drummer Bill Kreutzmann sat out last night’s concert at Red Rocks outside Denver due to a non-COVID-19 related illness. Drummer Jay Lane filled in for Billy during the band’s debut at the scenic outdoor venue. Fellow Dead & Co. drummer Mickey Hart also missed part of Tuesday’s second set.

Kreutzmann’s absence was announced on social media prior to the show.

“We’ve got a bit of a situation here tonight and JonBo here’s gonna help me explain it to y’all,” guitarist Bob Weir told the Red Rocks audience prior to the start of the first set.

“It’s not COVID,” guitarist John Mayer deadpanned in response to Weir, who then explained Kreutzmann’s absence and introduced Lane. Lane is well versed in the Grateful Dead’s repertoire, having performed alongside Weir many times with RatDog, Wolf Bros and other projects. Mayer then asked Weir to share an update on Billy’s condition.

“Billy will be just fine,” Weir replied. “It’s not a COVID situation and we look forward to his return. But in the meantime … the show must go on.” Dead & Company then fired up “Not Fade Away,” opening a show with the classic cover for just the third time.

Lane was accompanied by Hart for all of the first set and the majority of the second set. Hart left the Red Rocks stage before the band played “Casey Jones” at the end of set two and remained absent during the evening’s “Althea” encore. Hart posted a message apologizing for his early departure and indicating he intends to perform when D&C takes the stage at Red Rocks again tonight.

Read on after The Skinny for the rest of the recap and more.

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After opening the first set with the tour’s first “NFA,” Mayer, Weir, Lane, Hart, bassist Oteil Burbridge and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti made their way into “New Speedway Boogie.” Keeping in the blues-rock realm, Mayer then led the tour’s first “Big Railroad Blues” followed by a Weir-led “Tennessee Jed.” The two guitarists traded verses on the trailing “Friend Of The Devil,” another tour first.

The band delivered a nicely jammed “They Love Each Other,” increasing in pace and intensity from the laid-back start of the song. Bobby then led the group through the tour’s first cover of The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence.” Digging back into the blues-rock established at the start of the set, Mayer steered the set-closing “Don’t Ease Me In,” another first of the tour.

“Scarlet Begonias” opened the second set and clocked in at 16-minutes, though those watching in person and on the livestream would have to wait several more minutes before getting to “Fire On The Mountain.” Dead & Company followed “Scarlet” with two more tour firsts: “Estimated Prophet” and “Eyes Of The World,” each of which provided ample improvisation, with “Eyes” reaching 17-minutes and “Estimated” coming just shy of 14 minutes. Burbridge’s voice rang out over the rocky Colorado landscape as the band eventually landed on “Fire On The Mountain.”

Burbridge was part of the “Drums” segment that saw Lane, wearing a Rhythm Devils fleece, joining in the nightly percussive improvisation. Hart vibrated the arena with The Beam, soon signaling the return of the other band members for a lengthy, free-form “Space” sequence. More blues-rock and more tour debuts were in store as “Turn On Your Lovelight” developed out of “Space” and was paired with “Morning Dew.” The aforementioned “Casey Jones” and “Althea” punctuated the second set and concert.

Dead & Company performs again tonight at Red Rocks. A livestream is available via nugs.tv.

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