‘Midnight Moonlight’ In Mexico: Trampled By Turtles Perform Old & In The Way Tribute Set At Dead Ahead

Trampled by Turtles was among the performers at the Bobby Weir-curated Dead Ahead destination event at the Moon Palace in Cancún, Mexico over the weekend. The Americana act from Duluth, Minnesota paid tribute to Grateful Dead-associated bluegrass group Old & In the Way during their set on Saturday.

Bluegrass supergroup Old & In the Way included Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia on banjo alongside Peter Rowan, David Grisman, Vassar Clements and John Kahn. Trampled by Turtles — guitarist/lead vocalist Dave Simonett, bassist Tim Saxhaug, banjo player Dave Carroll, mandolinist Erik Berry and fiddler Ryan Young — delivered a set full of favorites from the group’s beloved 1975 self-titled live album and more.

TbT fittingly kicked off the set with the title track for Old & In the Way, composed by mandolinist David Grisman. The band followed with the traditional “Pig in a Pen,” which kicks off the record recorded in San Francisco in October 1973 by Owsley Stanley.

Additional songs from the Old & In the Way repertoire covered by TbT included “I Ain’t Broke (But I’m Badly Bent),” “White Dove,” and “Uncle Pen,” alongside bluegrass standards such as “How Mountain Girls Can Love” and the Peter Rowan/Bill Monroe-written “Walls Of Time.” Trampled by Turtles also covered two Bob Dylan songs which existed in the Jerry Garcia Band/Grateful Dead catalogs, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” and “Knockin on Heaven’s Door,” along with Dead-covered traditional, “Peggy-O.”

Following a rendition of Old & In the Way’s gorgeous version of The Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses,” TbT wrapped their Dead Ahead showing with a choice sandwich of the Peter Rowan standout “Midnight Moonlight” and Pink Floyd’s “Breathe (In the Air).” The band sealed the set with a traditional covered by Old & In the Way, “Angel Band.”

Check out video and audio taped by B.D. Nak700 from Trampled by Turtles Old & In the Way tribute set below:

Trampled by Turtles kick off their winter tour on January 22 in New Orleans. Scroll down for their itinerary and ticket info.