DETROIT, MI | It was a perfect summer night in Clarkston, Michigan as Deadheads gathered at Pine Knob Music Theatre for Dead & Company’s 11th show of their summer tour. Naturally I had to check out Shakedown Street before entering the venue and was treated to all the sights, sounds, and smells one would expect. Inside the venue, the party continued.
Dead & Company—featuring remaining members of The Grateful Dead Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann with John Mayer, Jeff Chimenti, and Oteil Burbridge—are a well-oiled machine at this point. Set one featured the tour debut of “Minglewood Blues” and Oteil on lead vocals for “China Doll,” while Set two gave us the live Dead & Company debut of Kingfish’s “Supplication,” among other highlights. Drummer Jay Lane did a fantastic job sitting in for Bill Kreutzmann for most of the show, as Kreutzmann continues to recover from a back injury.
A few days ago, the band had to cancel their Saratoga Springs stop because Mayer’s father was rushed to the hospital. We here at TVD hope that all is well now and the band can resume their tour.