Download This: Billy & The Kids In Charlottesville & Red Rocks

Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann’s Billy & The Kids project was birthed out of a set put together for the 2014 Lockn’ Festival after Bob Weir cancelled. Year One of Billy & The Kids has been a fine one as Kreutzmann, bassist Reed Mathis, guitarist Tom Hamilton and keyboardist Aron Magner take the music of the Grateful Dead in a new direction. To hear what the hubbub is all about, there are two recent performances from the quartet available as free MP3 downloads via LiveDownloads.com.

On September 10 Billy & The Kids played before a capacity crowd at the Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville. The show was announced the same day as a storm led to the cancellation of the first day of Lockn ’15, where Billy & The Kids were supposed to perform that night. The foursome’s two-set performance featured guest spots from Eric Krasno and John Popper. Head here for the free MP3 download.

Set One: Alabama Getaway, Me And My Uncle > Big River, Loser, Brown-Eyed Women*, Shakedown Street* > Loose Lucy* > Deal*

Set Two: China Cat Sunflower* > I Know You Rider*, Cats Under The Stars* > Jam* > Jack A Roe*, Hard To Handle*#, Foolish Heart*# > Drums > Space > Eep Hour > To Lay Me Down > Uncle John’s Band > Not Fade Away*#

Encore: Quinn The Eskimo*

* With Eric Krasno
# With John Popper

Just over a week later, Billy & The Kids opened for Railroad Earth at the iconic Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado. The ensemble only repeated one song from Charlottesville and jammed with guests Tim Carbone and the Snarky Puppy Horns. Head here for a free MP3 download.

Set: Harder They Come, Me & My Uncle^, They Love Each Other, Scarlet Begonias, I Know You Rider, Feel Like a Stranger > Jam > Mission in the Rain, Loose Lucy, The Other One, Casey Jones

^ with Tim Carbone
^^ with Snarky Puppy Horns

[Hat Tip – Live For Live Music]