Watch Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Debut Grateful Dead Acoustic Reckoning Tribute At Brooklyn Bowl Nashville

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings launched their Grateful Dead Acoustic Reckoning Tour this weekend with a two-night stand at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville. While the first two shows of a run celebrating the 45th anniversary of Reckoning featured many cuts from the Grateful Dead’s live album, the setlists also included more favorites drawn from the legendary band’s live repertoire.

Welch and Rawlings were accompanied by Punch Brothers' Paul Kowert on upright bass for both concerts in Nashville. Each night featured two full sets and a three-song encore.

On Friday, the three musicians kicked off their 21-song concert with “Bertha.” Gillian Welch and Paul Kowert both used a brush to play a snare drum set up between the trio on the ensuing “Dire Wolf,” as they’d do at other points of the weekend. “We brought two drummers and one drum,” Rawlings quipped.

Welch guided the ensemble through the subsequent “Oh Babe It Ain’t No Lie” before Rawlings took over lead vocals for “It Must’ve Been The Roses.” A memorable “Loser” followed ahead of Reckoning gems “Dark Hallow,” “China Doll” and “Cassidy.” The trio closed out the hour-long first set of the tour with a rousing rendition of “Cumberland Blues.”

Gillian Welch, David Rawlings and Paul Kowert returned to begin Friday’s second set with a throbbing “Brown-Eyed Women.” Next up were traditional songs “I’ve Been All Around This World” and “Deep Elem Blues” ahead of gorgeous versions of “To Lay Me Down” and “Jack Straw.” Welch then belted out “Cold Rain & Snow” to lead up to takes on “High Time” and “Bird Song” featuring beautiful harmonies.

Spot-on harmonies were also displayed on the ensuing “Ripple” that closed the frame. The encore consisted of “St. Stephen,” “Not Fade Away” and “Morning Dew,” three songs the Grateful Dead rarely played unplugged.

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings’ 21-song performance on Saturday followed a similar path to the first show of the tour. The duo and Kowert did sprinkle in a handful of songs they didn’t play on Friday. “The Monkey And The Engineer,” “Brokedown Palace” and “Jack-A-Roe” were debuted in the opening stanza, while the tour’s first performances of “Black Peter” and “Stella Blue” were fit into the second set. Three more first-timers were performed as the encore: “Althea,” “Friend Of The Devil” and “And We Bid You Goodnight.”

The Grateful Dead Acoustic Reckoning Tour resumes tonight with the first oftwo shows at Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw, North Carolina. Welch and Rawlings then bring the tribute to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. Additional stops in Oakland, Santa Cruz (California) and New Orleans end the April portion of the excursion.

Watch full-show video of both Grateful Dead Acoustic Reckoning Tour performances in Nashville below thanks to Fire Fountain Productions: