[UPDATED] Dead & Company Brings Fall Tour To Atlanta – Photos, Audio & Videos

Hot on the heels of a stellar performance in Charlotte, Dead & Company continued Fall Tour 2017 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta on Wednesday night. Dead & Company delivered another performance that stands among the best the band has played since forming in October 2015.

The six-piece featuring Bob Weir, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and John Mayer opened with a jam they worked into “Truckin’.” While Mayer was a bit laid back in his approach to the first song of the evening, the band took a turn towards the blues standard “Smokestack Lightning.” John picked up the pace on the bluesy number and then was on fire during “Feel Like A Stranger.” Mayer also sounded great in fronting the band on “Dire Wolf.” Weir, sporting a “Gonesville” t-shirt for the second night in a row, then provided his own phrasings to Jerry’s “Loser.” The improvisational highlight of the frame was a “Cassidy” featuring impressive lead bass work from Oteil. Dead & Company also spread their wings on “Bird Song,” while the “Deal” set closer gave Mayer a chance to show off his powerful and fast-paced blues licks.

Dead & Company kicked off the second set with the suite of “Help On The Way” > “Slipknot!” > “Franklin’s Tower.” Oteil shined throughout the triumvirate, while the interplay between the guitarists was divine during “Slipknot!” and “Franklin’s” had an even more emotional feel that usual. Next up was Burbridge’s turn up front as he led a gorgeous “Comes A Time.” The sextet then launched into “Viola Lee Blues,” which benefitted greatly from Mayer’s blues-heavy style. While a longer version would have been welcome, instead the instrumentalists left The Rhythm Devils to their devices.

Mickey and Billy are getting more comfortable with their sample-heavy setup and kept moving between beats throughout the eight-minute section. Then, Hart toyed with The Beam and laid harmonic groundwork for “Space.” Weir’s work during “Space” was chunky and powerful as he set the pace for a move towards the tour’s second “Wharf Rat.” Musically, the band put their all into every note and movement of the beautiful Jerry ballad. In this case, Bobby stuck to Garcia’s phrasings for the most part. Weir then fronted a strong “Throwing Stones” in which he spit the lyrics with fury ahead of the “U.S. Blues” set closer. Dead & Company said farewell with a “Brokedown Palace” encore, which featured John Mayer’s most potent licks and touching vocals.

The tour continues in Dallas on Friday. A webcast is available via livedead.co.

Photos (by Lisa Keel)

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”682″ gal_title=”20171129 Dead And Company Atlanta Keel”]

Listen to audio taped by Dillon Fries:

Watch pro-shot video of the set openers:

[Jam > Truckin’ > Smokestack Lightning]

[Help > Slip > Franklin’s]

Setlist

Dead & Company

• Philips Arena
• Nov 29, 2017
• Atlanta, GA
• 2017 Fall Tour

Set 1

• Truckin'
• Smokestack Lightning
• Feel Like a Stranger
• Dire Wolf
• Loser
• Cassidy
• Bird Song
• Deal

Set 2

• Help on the Way
• Slipknot!
• Franklin's Tower
• Comes a Time
• Viola Lee Blues
• Drums
• Space
• Wharf Rat
• Throwing Stones
• U.S. Blues

Encore

• Brokedown Palace

Setlist data setlist.fm.

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