Little Feat Busts Out Grateful Dead Cover With Hot Tuna In Oakland

Little Feat brought their Waiting For Columbus 45th Anniversary Tour to Oakland’s Fox Theater on Tuesday for a concert just across the Bay from late Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s hometown of San Francisco. The legendary rock band honored Garcia on the 27th anniversary of his passing by dusting off a Dead cover with help from Hot Tuna members.

Hot Tuna guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady emerged midway through Little Feat’s set in Oakland for “Dixie Chicken.” Little Feat and their guests fit a take on the Grateful Dead’s “Tennessee Jed” within the title track from the band’s 1973 studio album. Last night’s “Tennessee Jed” was Little Feat’s first cover of the song since January 15, 2013 as per Setlist.FM.

Kaukonen and Casady, who were part of the classic Jefferson Airplane lineup from October 1966 until February 1970, stuck around for the “Tripe Face Boogie” that followed “Dixie Chicken.” Jorma returned later in the night to guest on “A Apolitical Blues.”

Watch video captured by a fan featuring the end of last night’s “Tennessee Jed” through “Tripe Face Boogie” below:

Hot Tuna opened the concert with a set of their own. Little Feat then performed all of their iconic 1978 live album Waiting For Columbus at the Fox. “Tennessee Jed” and the “Let It Roll” that closed the evening were the only non-Waiting For Columbus songs to make Little Feat’s setlist in Oakland. The tour continues tonight in Sacramento.