Dead & Company just finished off Night #6 of their Summer Tour 2021 at Darien Lake Amphitheater in Upstate New York. We’re pretty blessed to be able to see Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann keep playing together, and their bandmates of John Mayer, Jeff Chimenti and Oteil Burbridge continue to be the glue that holds this Grateful Dead offshoot together.
Tonight’s show kicked off with a great “Viola Lee Blues” and the first one we’ve heard this year. “Cold Rain and Snow” was next, the heaviest repeat of the tour so far and clearly one John Mayer loves playing. Up next was the Bobby led “Feel Like a Stranger” and then back to Mayer for the lead on “Ship of Fools” with Oteil helping on vocal duties in a great way. Then Bobby and Mayer traded off on an uptempo “Friend of the Devil” before the band delivered perfect combo of “Loose Lucy > New Speedway Boogie” to close out the set.
For set two, the band started up a nice little jam which segued into “Truckin'” which fed nicely into “Playing In The Band.” After a nice spacey jam, the band moved right back into “Viola Lee Blues” and came out of that with a perfect transition into “China Cat Sunflower.” Following the inevitable “I Know You Rider” that came next, the band tipped their hat to the passing of Charlie Watts yesterday by covering The Rolling Stones, “The Last Time.” Bobby (or Jeff?) said “rest in peace, Charlie…” as they left the stage for the drums section of the show.
After “Drums/Space” the band played a great throwback “Uncle John’s Band” before descending into “Wharf Rat” with Bobby really laying into it. Fantastic version. And to close the set the band brought back in a “Playing In The Band” as a reprise before encoring with a beautiful version of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.”
The band moves onto Saratoga Performing Arts Center next for a show this Friday, August 27th.
Dead & Company @ Darien Lake Amphitheater, Darien Center NY 8.25.21
Set I: Viola Lee Blues > Cold Rain and Snow, Feel Like a Stranger, Ship of Fools, Friend of the Devil, Loose Lucy > New Speedway Boogie
Set II: Truckin’ > Playing In The Band > Viola Lee Blues > China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider > The Last Time* > Drums/Space > Uncle John’s Band > Wharf Rat > Playing In The Band (Reprise)
Encore: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
* – The Rolling Stones cover, nice little tribute to the passing of Charlie Watts
What a beautiful night in Upstate New York at Darien Lake! Thank you all and we’ll see you Friday in Saratoga Springs. #DeadandCoTour2021
📸: Matt Busch pic.twitter.com/IFjpUmdH8b
— Dead & Company (@deadandcompany) August 26, 2021
