Watch Railroad Earth Welcome Holly Bowling For Joyous ‘Like A Buddha’ In San Francisco
The jamgrass act continued its first tour with new bassist Dave Speranza at The Fillmore on Friday.
By Scott Bernstein Jan 23, 2023 • 10:07 am PST
Railroad Earth brought their winter tour to The Fillmore in San Francisco on Friday. Keyboardist Holly Bowling opened the night with a set of her own and then the Bay Area musician joined the band for a collaborative “Like A Buddha” towards the end of RRE’s second set.
The current trek marks RRE’s first with new bassist Dave Speranza. Railroad Earth began the tour in Seattle on January 13 and pulled into San Francisco on Friday to start a weekend of concerts in California.
Friday’s show featured a career-spanning setlist as the group got their first set underway with a run of staples that included a “Where Songs Begin” opener, the beloved “Bread & Water” and a “Chasin’ A Rainbow” that gave way to the eponymous “Railroad Earth.” Next, “Potter’s Field” bled into “Lonecroft Farewell.” Railroad Earth then presented “My Favorite Spot,” the evening’s first song off 2022’s All For The Song, before closing the frame with the pairing of “Butterfly And The Tree” and oldie “Happy Song.”
Railroad Earth looked to their earliest days in kicking off Friday’s second set with “Just So You Know.” It was then back to All For The Song via “Slippin’ Away.” The set also featured “Blues Highway,” “Driftin’ (The Bardo),” “Showers Of Rain” and “Runnin’ Wild” from their latest studio album. Bowling emerged for “Like A Buddha” after “Showers Of Rain” and before the set-closing “Runnin’ Wild.”
A studio version of “Like A Buddha” appears on 2002’s Bird In A House, the band’s second LP. Holly Bowling shared RRE keyboardist Matt Slocum’s rig over the course of the song and engaged in call and response with Slocum. The pair built the “Like A Buddha” jam to a crowd-pleasing peak. Speranza took a solo as a transition into “Runnin’ Wild.” Railroad Earth wrapped up the night with a Jerry Garcia solo repertoire favorite, “Catfish John.”
See fan-shot video of Friday’s collaborative “Like A Buddha” below:
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Setlist (via Railroad Earth Facebook)
Set One: Where Songs Begin, Saddle of the Sun, Bread & Water, Chasin’ A Rainbow > Railroad Earth, Potter’s Field > Lonecroft Farewell, My Favorite Spot, Butterfly and the Tree, Happy Song
Set Two: Just So You Know, Slippin’ Away, Hangtown Ball, Blues Highway > Mighty River, Driftin’ > The Bardo > Driftin’ > Showers of Rain, Like A Buddha* > Runnin’ Wild
Encore: Catfish John
* – with Holly Bowling on keys
