Phil Lesh Celebrates 78th Birthday With John Scofield & Terrapin Family Band At The Capitol Theatre

Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh celebrated his 78th birthday yesterday by performing with The Terrapin Family Band at The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, New York. The middle show of three-night run featured special guest guitarist John Scofield sitting-in, as well as Lesh being honored by the local fire department.

Drummer Alex Koford, guitarists Grahame Lesh and Ross James, keyboardist Jason Crosby backed Phi and Sco as they dug into classic Dead territory for the “Mason’s Children” opener. Next came “Tennessee Jed” and a James-led cover of Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue.” A romping “Bertha” preceded a take on the New Riders Of The Purple Sage original “Henry.” The final 20 minutes of the opening set were devoted to a seamless sequencing of “Playing In The Band” and “I Know You Rider.”

Prior to the start of the second set, Grahame Lesh led the audience in singing “Happy Birthday To You” as a cake was presented to his father. The first assistant chief of the Port Chester Fire Department then came on stage and named Phil an honorary member of Harry Howard Hook & Ladder Co. #1 while presenting him with a personalized helmet and jacket only given to members and honorary members of the volunteer fire company (here’s more on the link between the fire department and the Grateful Dead).

“The Music Never Stopped” then started the second set, followed by a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter.” After getting the Led out, Lesh, Sco and the Family Band got the jam out for an expansive “Shakedown Street.” The ensemble then honored renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, who died yesterday at the age of 76, by incorporating samples of his voice during the opening portion of “Dark Star.” The sextet transitioned into “Help On The Way” that went into its typically paired “Slipknot!” but before moving into the usual “Franklin’s Tower” triad, the band dropped into “Casey Jones” prior to landing on “Franklin’s.” A return to the second “Dark Star” verse led to Scofield ripping a set-closing “Morning Dew.”

Phil’s organ donor plea bridged the close of the set and the start of the encore. The final song of the evening was “Ripple.” Phil & The Terrapin Family Band return to The Cap again tonight and nugs.tv is offering a webcast. Listen to full show audio taped by Keith Litzenberger and watch video highlights from last night below:

Audio

Video

[Mason’s Children (end) / Tennessee Jed | Pro-Shot via nugs.tv]

https://www.facebook.com/TheCapitolTheatre/videos/1753167481408538/

[It’s All Over Now Baby Blue | Captured by Doug Clifton]

https://www.facebook.com/doug.clifton.77/videos/10215408823724423/

[Bertha | Captured by Sean Roche]

[Happy Birthday To You / The Music Never Stopped | Pro-Shot via nugs.tv]

https://www.facebook.com/TheCapitolTheatre/videos/1753407081384578/

[Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Casey Jones > Franklin’s Tower | Captured by Sean Roche ]