Wilco Debuts Grateful Dead Cover In Minnesota

Wilco premiered a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “U.S. Blues” on Saturday night during their performance at the Grand Rapids Riverfest in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Jeff Tweedy led his bandmates through the Hunter/Garcia classic as part of the encore in Grand Rapids and then again last night at Fargo Brewing Company in Fargo, North Dakota.

Tweedy previously played “U.S. Blues” with Phil Lesh & Friends at the Sacred Rose festival's Philco performance. “U.S. Blues” was the penultimate song of Philco’s first of two sets.

Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter wrote “U.S. Blues,” which underwent a number of lyric changes and was originally presented as “Wave That Flag” by the Grateful Dead in 1973. The familiar version was debuted at the Grateful Dead’s February 22, 1974 concert at San Francisco’s Winterland Arena and recorded for the band’s 1974 studio album, From The Mars Hotel.

Watch fan-shot video of Wilco’s “U.S. Blues” cover from Sunday in Fargo below:

Wilco are currently touring in support of their recently released album, Cruel Country. The setlists in Grand Rapids and Fargo both went heavy on material from the double LP. The sextet brings the trek to Sioux Falls, South Dakota tonight.