A Banner Night: Phil Lesh Plays 100th Show At Capitol Theatre Since Reopening

Phil Lesh & Friends closed out a milestone four-show run at The Capitol Theatre on Sunday. The legendary Grateful Dead bassist celebrated his 83rd birthday to open the run on March 15 and on Sunday marked his 100th show at The Cap since it reopened in 2012.

Impresario and Capitol Theatre owner Peter Shapiro introduced Phil Lesh & Friends and gave a little history on Phil’s time at The Cap since it reopened. Phil has celebrated his birthday at the rock palace over the years and also conducted extended residencies there. A banner was hung in honor of the 100-show milestone. The band — bassist Phil Lesh, guitarists Rick Mitarotonda and Grahame Lesh, drummer John Molo, keyboardist John Medeski, vocalist Nicki Bluhm, saxophonist James Casey and fiddler Katie Jacoby — launched the show with “Tennessee Jed” featuring Mitarotonda handling lead vocals.

Grahame then led the way on “Bertha” while Bluhm took the lead on “Turn On Your Love Light.” Next, Rick stepped back to the mic for “Me & My Uncle” before the band embarked on a lengthy “Bird Song” with Phil handling lead vocals. Grahame would then sing “Ramble On Rose” before Phil offered one of his signature songs, “Box Of Rain,” to wrap the first frame.

A nearly 18-minute rendering of the “Terrapin Station” suite kicked off the second set with Rick handling lead vocals on most of the epic, which led into “Jack O’ Roses,” a seventh part to the “Terrapin” suite never played by the Grateful Dead although written by Robert Hunter. James Casey then led the way on “Touch Of Grey” before Bluhm helmed “West L.A. Fadeaway.” From there, James Casey returned to the mic for “Shakedown Street.”

Next, Mitarotonda took the reins on “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” a song that exists in his band Goose’s repertoire. A pairing of “Estimated Prophet” (Grahame) and “Sugaree” (Bluhm) closed the second set. After his Donor Rap and band introductions, Mitarotonda led the ensemble through a “Brown-Eyed Women” encore to bring the show and run to a close.

Find pro-shot video of “Bertha (partial)” and “Terrapin Station” below along with full-show audio via Z-Man below:

Setlist