moe. Teams Up With Phil & Grahame Lesh At Terrapin Crossroads

On Saturday night moe. continued their four-night stand at Terrapin Crossroads. For the third night in a row, the veteran jam act concentrated the majority of the first set on the music of the Grateful Dead with the help of Phil Lesh and for the first time on this run Lesh’s son Grahame.

As they did on Thursday and Friday, the Buffalo-formed band emerged without Rob Derhak as Lesh subbed for their full-time bassist for the beginning portion of the night. With Phil in tow the band launched into “Scarlet Begonias,” playing it for the first time since their collaborative set with the 78-year-old bass player last summer at LOCKN’. The From The Mars Hotel track segued into its traditional partner “Fire On The Mountain” which hadn’t been played in full by moe. since 2004. “Loser” was trotted out for the first time since a quartet of performances in 2015 as Chuck Garvey handled vocals on the gambler’s tune. Lesh then fronted the band on their debut of Bob Dylan’s “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues,” which became one of his signature songs with the Dead beginning in the mid-1980s through their final year.

Drummer Vinnie Amico, who played in a number of Grateful Dead cover bands prior to joining moe. in 1996, got a chance to sing lead next taking the band through “Casey Jones” for the first time since 2014. Guitarist Grahame Lesh emerged next as the augmented band delivered their first rendering of “Terrapin Station” since a one-off at moe.down VI back in 2005. Derhak took the stage for the first time all night to help close out the opening frame. The now seven-piece act served up an exploratory, must-hear take on their lone original in the set: “Recreational Chemistry.”

moe. returned for a guest-less second stanza that saw them work their way through a lengthy, seamless run on “Faker,” the Al Schnier-composed instrumental “Montego” and “Puebla” to start. “Billy Goat,” “Water” along with the old-school “Yodelittle” and “Tailspin” filled the remainder of the set with “Spaz Medicine” occupying the encore slot. moe. will close out their Terrapin Crossroads run today with a co-headlining bill at the venue’s outdoor space also featuring Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band.

[Scarlet Begonias]

[Faker]

Setlist (via moe. on Facebook)

Set I: Scarlet Begonias* > Fire On The Mountain*, Loser*, Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues**, Casey Jones*, Terrapin Station^ > Recreational Chemistry^^%

Set II: Faker >(nh) Montego >(nh) Puebla, Billy Goat, Water, Yodelittle > Tailspin

Encore: Spaz Medicine

* w/ Phil Lesh on bass / no rob, ** w/ Phil Lesh on bass & vox / no rob, ^ w/ Phil Lesh on bass & vox / Grahame Lesh on guitar & vox, ^^ w/ Phil Lesh on bass / Grahame Lesh on guitar, % “Donor Rap” after set was over w/ Phil & al