Dead & Company Performs On ‘The Late Show’ & Plays Boston

Last night through the magic of television Dead & Company managed to be appear in two cities on the same night as the band was the musical guest on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, while also playing their scheduled tour stop at the TD Garden in Boston. The six-piece band’s second consecutive appearance on the late-night variety show was recorded earlier in the week on their off-night in New York City.

For their performance at the Ed Sullivan Theater, Grateful Dead members Bill Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart and Bob Weir along with Jeff Chimenti, Oteil Burbridge and John Mayer looked to Workingman’s Dead, playing “Uncle John’s Band” for the studio audience and everyone watching at home delivering a tightly played version of one of the Dead’s most well-known tunes.

Meanwhile, in real time, Dead & Company hit night four of their cross-country tour as they pulled into Beantown for their first of two nights at the TD Garden. Taking the stage around a quarter past seven the ensemble opened the night with “Jack Straw,” as Weir and Mayer swapped verses through a mostly slow and plodding version on the Robert Hunter-penned interpretation of a murder ballad. “New Speedway Boogie” followed as the cautionary tale about the tragedy at Altamont came to a peak with Bobby passionately delivering the songs final stanza. Mayer fronted the band next on what has become one of his signature tunes with the project, “Althea.”

Bob and John kept the energy up with “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleloo.” The standout take on the Wake Of The Flood track was followed by their first non-Grateful Dead tune of the night as Bobby took lead on a short and punchy take on Johnny Cash’s “Big River.” Dead & Company’s opening set came to a close with a pairing of “Sugaree,” which Mayer brought to a fiery crescendo as he laid down a number of inspired guitar solos, and “The Music Never Stopped.”

Dead & Company kicked off the second set with a short, but psychedelic-tinged take on “Scarlet Begonias,” as it segued into its traditional partner “Fire On The Mountain.” Bassist Oteil Burbridge stepped up to sing lead on the Hunter-Mickey Hart collaboration from Shakedown Street and he received an enthusiastic cheer from the crowd. Mayer and Weir teamed up once again on a “He’s Gone” that saw both Burbridge and Mayer scat singing over the song’s closing line of “nothing’s gonna bring him back.” “Viola Lee Blues” followed as the old-school jam vehicle segued into “Drums” > “Space.”

The psychedelic excursion, which one again saw the band work in elements of “Milestones,” eventually wound its way into “Wharf Rat.” The tale of August West led into an adventurous and playful version of “The Wheel.” The tune that originally appeared on Jerry Garcia’s 1972 solo debut saw Mayer fit in a jam on Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs’ “Stay (Just A Little Bit Longer)” as he sang “The Wheel’s” “won’t you try a little bit harder” to the tune of the doo-wop classic, with the sextet also dropping into a reggae-tinged jam as they wrapped it up. D&C brought their second set of the night to a close with a rousing sing-along take on “Sugar Magnolia.”

Dead & Company returned to the stage to close out the night with a “Ripple” that saw Mayer strap on an acoustic guitar for a tender take on the tune. After an off night tonight the band continue their two-show Boston stand tomorrow night at the TD Garden.

Check out Dead & Company’s performance on The Late Show, watch pro-shot video of the opening song from each set along with fan-shot video captured by Sean Roche, and check out the full setlist below:

[Uncle John’s Band]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=716FCA3qG2A

[Jack Straw]

[Scarlet Begonias]

[Althea]

[Sugaree]

[Viola Lee Blues]

[Wharf Rat]

[Ripple]