A Dream We Dreamed: Jam Scene & NOLA All-Stars Honor Phil Lesh At Joy Theater

Members of moe., Dead & Company, Soulive, The Meters, The Disco Biscuits, Dumpstaphunk, The Allman Betts Band, The Terrapin Family Band and TAB joined forces last night at The Joy Theater for A Dream We Dreamed: A New Orleans Tribute To Phil Lesh. The impressive array of talented musicians honored the late Grateful Dead bassist with two sets of favorites from the GD live repertoire.

New Orleans held a special place in Phil Lesh's heart. Eric Krasno shared a story of a Phil & The Terrapin Family Band trip to the Big Easy. The band had a day off and the bassist decided to attend a show Krasno was playing with Zigaboo Modeliste, John Medeski and George Porter Jr., who was one of Phil’s favorite bassists according to Eric.

After the concert, Phil turned to the guitarist and asked, “Kraz, what are you doing now?” Eric informed Phil he was heading to NOLA venue The Maple Leaf and Lesh came along. Krasno and Grahame Lesh sat in with the band at The Maple Leaf on “Fire On The Mountain.” At one point, Kraz scanned the crowd and saw an incognito Phil with his hands in the air, singing “Fire” at full blast. “Nonody around realized …” Krasno recalled.

Longtime Phil Lesh collaborator and TXR Family Band member Ross James served as musical director for “A Dream We Dreamed” and moved between bass and guitar throughout the tribute. Ross James was joined in the core band by Kraz, tDB keyboardist Aron Magner, Dead & Co.’s Jay Lane and moe.’s Vinnie Amico on drums along with vocalists Jennifer Hartswick and Nicki Bluhm.

Duane Betts was on hand for the first three songs of the night. The Allman Betts Band guitarist led the ensemble through versions of “Brown-Eyed Women” and “Althea,” which were broken up by a Bluhm-sung “Easy Wind.” Ivan Neville and Tony Hall then emerged for “Broken Arrow,” a Robbie Robertson-penned song Phil Lesh loved to sing. The Dumpstaphunk bandmates stuck around as the ensemble worked through the oft-paired “Scarlet Begonias” and “Fire On The Mountain.” moe.’s Al Schnier slid in to channel Phil’s vocals on a cover of the Bob Dylan classic “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” that punctuated the set.

A well-jammed “The Music Never Stopped” helmed by Jennifer Hartswick featuring Karina Rykman on bass opened the second set. Tony Hall returned to sing and offer double bass bounce on the ensuing “Shakedown Street.” George Porter Jr. then took over on bass and lead vocals for a run of “They Love Each Other,” “Eyes Of The World” and “Turn On Your Lovelight.”

Eric Krasno shared his memories of Phil and The Maple Leaf story as Porter left the stage. Kraz also thanked Ross James for putting the concert together. moe.’s Rob Derhak was on bass and bandmate Al Schnier reemerged ahead of a “Cassidy” sung by Aron Magner and Nicki Bluhm. The second set then was sealed with a Kraz-fueled “Deal.” Jennifer Hartswick’s powerful pipes were showcased on the evening’s touching “Brokedown Palace” encore.

A livestream replay of A Dream We Dreamed is available for viewing with a nugs.net All Access subscription. Watch pro-shot footage of the first two songs of the tribute and fan-shot “They Love Each Other” video below:

Setlist

Set One: Brown-Eyed Women (Duane Betts), Easy Wind (Nicki Bluhm), Althea (Duane Betts), Broken Arrow (Ivan Neville), Scarlet Begonias (Eric Krasno) > Fire On The Mountain (Tony Hall), Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (Al Schnier)

Set Two: The Music Never Stopped (Jennifer Hartswick), Shakedown Street (Tony Hall), They Love Each Other (George Porter Jr.), Eyes Of The World (George Porter Jr.) > Drums > Turn On Your Lovelight (George Porter Jr.), Sugaree (Eric Krasno & George Porter Jr.), Cassidy (Aron Magner & Nicki Bluhm), Deal (Eric Krasno)

Encore: Brokedown Palace (Jennifer Hartswick)