Dead & Company Teams With Branford Marsalis At Lockn’ On This Date In 2018

Dead & Company closed out the Lockn’ festival on this date in 2018 with help from saxophonist Branford Marsalis. Branford sat-in with the sextet on their second set and encore, continuing a relationship that started when Marsalis made a historic guest appearance with the Grateful Dead on March 29, 1990 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

The final two nights of Lockn’ 2018 were headlined by Dead & Company. Marsalis emerged at the start of the band’s final set of the weekend, and what turned out to be their final set of the year for a rousing “Shakedown Street.” Branford, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, John Mayer, Jeff Chimenti and Oteil Burbridge jammed on “Shakedown” for 15 minutes and did the same for the exploratory “Bird Song” that followed.

Branford and Dead & Company shined on an “Eyes Of The World” that featured impressive interplay between the saxophonist and John Mayer. The hour-long, four-song start to the set also included “Terrapin Station.” Mickey and Billy then worked over their huge rig with an assist from Oteil during “Drums.” A short but sweet “Space” led into a Weir-sung “Morning Dew” before a rousing “Not Fade Away” brought the set to a close. The band then celebrated Branford’s birthday and treated fans to a triple encore of “Brokedown Palace,” “U.S. Blues” and “Ripple.”

Watch 1080p, pro-shot video shared by the band of “Not Fade Away” below:

Check out the live stream of Dead & Company’s sets from August 26, 2018 at Lockn’ starting at the 13-minute mark below:

Setlist

Set One: Playing In The Band > Uncle John’s Band > Loser (w/ “Playing In The Band Reprise” jam) > Mr. Charlie, Tennessee Jed, Althea, Sugar Magnolia

Set Two: Shakedown Street > Bird Song > Eyes Of The World > Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Morning Dew > Not Fade Away

Encore: Brokedown Palace, U.S. Blues, Ripple

[All of second set and encore except for “Drums” with Branford Marsalis on saxophone]