Mike Gordon Joins Phil Lesh & Friends At 60th Birthday Bash On This Date In 2000

Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh celebrated his 60th birthday with a Phil & Friends performance at Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium in Oakland on this date in 2000. The night began and ended with Phish bassist Mike Gordon sitting-in the with ensemble.

The 60th Birthday Bash Phil Lesh & Friends lineup featured the then almost-birthday boy (Phil was born on March 15), along with guitarist Robben Ford, drummer John Molo, and Little Feat guitarist Paul Barrere and keyboardist Bill Payne. Lesh opened the evening playing a red Fender Stratocaster guitar, with Gordon on bass, for a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone.”

Lesh stayed on the Strat for a take on “Box Of Rain” before taking over bass duties from Gordon. The first set also saw performances of Little Feat’s “Oh Atlanta” and Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” as well as Dead classics “Playing In The Band,” “Deal” and “Franklin’s Tower.”

“Happy Birthday” was sung to Lesh before the start of the second set, followed by “Eyes Of The World” and Ford leading the collective on “He Don’t Play Nothin’ But The Blues.” Set two also incorporated Little Feat’s “Dixie Chicken” as well as Dead staples such as “Terrapin Station,” “I Know You Rider,” “Morning Dew” and “St. Stephen” > “The Eleven.” Gordon emerged mid-second set for a bass duel with Lesh and he was also out for the encore that opened with Phish’s “Wolfman’s Brother” and wrapped with a “Playing” reprise.

Here’s a soundboard recording of the full show from March 10, 2000:

Setlist (via Philzone)

Set One: Like A Rolling Stone+*, Box of Rain+*, Playing In The Band (Robben) > Deal > Jam > Oh Atlanta (Billy) > Jam > In Your Eyes (P. Gabriel) > Playing The Band Reprise > Franklin’s Tower

Set Two: (Band Sings Happy B-Day To Phil), Eyes Of The World > Jam > He Don’t Play Nothin’ But the Blues (Robben) > Dixie Chicken (Paul) > Terrapin Station > Jam> I Know You Rider > Bass Duet* > Jam > Morning Dew > Jam > St. Stephen > The Eleven > Not Fade Away

Encore: Wolfman’s Brother* > Playing In The Band Reprise*

+ Phil on guitar

* with Mike Gordon