Eggy Reinvents ‘Franklin’s Tower’ In 1st Performance In Over 8 Years

Eggy brought a new arrangement to a long-absent Grateful Dead cover on Wednesday at Lakeview Marina Outdoor Music Park in Birmingham, Alabama. The quartet closed its second set with a synth-driven “Franklin’s Tower,” playing the song for the first time in more than eight years.

According to The Carton, Eggy’s only previous documented performance of “Franklin’s Tower” came on April 20, 2018, a gap of 616 shows. While that version offered a more straightforward take on the song, first released on the Dead’s 1975 album Blues For Allah, Wednesday’s rendition found the band making the oft-covered song its own.

The bust-out followed a “Razi” that stretched past 15 minutes. Guitarist Jake Brownstein established a swirl of sound on the new synth setup he debuted at the tour opener before drummer Alex Bailey and keyboardist Dani Battat joined in. Bailey sang the first verse and chorus of “Franklin’s Tower” over layered synth and Battat’s piano, giving the familiar tune an electronic feel before the quartet dug into a groove.

Brownstein focused on guitar after the second chorus, building a euphoric solo and using loops to layer his playing. Eggy shifted the tempo throughout the performance, which ran a little over 10 minutes, putting an inventive spin on the Dead staple.

The Grateful Dead’s music has long been part of Eggy’s lives and repertoire. In a recent JamBase feature, the Connecticut musicians reflected on growing up seeing Bob Weir together, including at Gathering Of The Vibes, and the connection he provided to music they never had the chance to hear Jerry Garcia perform in person.

“We never got the opportunity to see Jerry, and Bobby brought so much amazing music to us,” Brownstein told JamBase aboard Jam Cruise 22 in February. Battat noted that Eggy’s Dead repertoire leans toward Weir’s material. The band drew on that songbook on January 10 in Portland, Maine, ending its main set with “Cassidy” and returning for a collaborative “One More Saturday Night” encore after learning of Weir’s death.

“Franklin’s Tower” was one of several rarities in Wednesday’s setlist. “Queen’s Gambit” returned during the first set for the first time since March 14, a 63-show gap. The opening frame also featured “Northern Lights” within “Trixieville.”

Eggy began the second set with an unfinished “Parceled Serotonin” before reviving “I Was Born (No I Wasn’t)” for the first time since February 6, 2025, a gap of 169 shows. The latter included a “Roll Tide” vocal jam before giving way to “Solid Ground,” which segued into “Razi.” After the “Franklin’s Tower” finale, Eggy returned for a “Last Of Kin” encore.

Watch the Birmingham concert replay below, cued to “Franklin’s Tower” at 3:24:57:

Setlist (via The Carton)

Set One: High Noon, Remind Me > Queen’s Gambit[1], Trixieville -> Northern Lights > Trixieville, Wayless

Set Two: Parceled Serotonin[2], I Was Born (No I Wasn’t)[3] > Solid Ground -> Razi, Franklin’s Tower[4]

Encore: Last Of Kin

Footnotes:
[1] last played March 14, 2026; 63-show gap
[2] unfinished
[3] last played February 6, 2025; 169-show gap; with “Roll Tide” vocal jam
[4] last played April 20, 2018; 616-show gap