On Tuesday evening, Grahame Lesh & Friends took the stage at The Joy Theatre in New Orleans for the first in a two-night series performing Grateful Dead music. The event was billed as a nod to “Truckin’” and its iconic Big Easy mention, which conveys the timeless line and historic truth: “Busted Down on Bourbon Street.” To that end, the ensemble of selected musicians delivered a two-set performance that showcased their deep appreciation for the Grateful Dead’s expansive songbook.
Tuesday’s concert featured a stellar lineup of musical contributors, including Daniel Donato, Oteil Burbridge, John Molo, Aron Magner, and Kanika Moore. The ensemble was further bolstered by the Preservation Hall horns, along with special guests Bill Payne of Little Feat and John Kadlecik, all performing under the direction of second-generation Grateful Dead steward, Grahame Lesh.
The concert got underway with a creative variation of the well-known Blues for Allah suite, “Help On The Way” > “Slipknot!” Rather than following the traditional sequence into “Franklin’s Tower,” the ensemble drew outside the lines, conjuring “The Wheel” ahead of a “Slipknot!” reprise and the ensuing “Franklin’s.” On the other side of the song series, they debuted a take on Jerry Garcia’s “Run for the Roses,” before proceeding into “Peggy-O.” The JGB-associated “Don’t Let Go” also served as a debut, ahead of set one’s final piece, “Jack Straw.”
During the latter half of the event, the band returned to the stage and delivered the occasion’s namesake number, “Truckin’,” which transitioned into “Stella Blue.” “Playing in the Band” emerged next, eventually fading into a fragile “China Doll.” The final portion of the second frame saw the band deliver “Scarlet Begonias” into “Wharf Rat” and “Turn on Your Love Light” without pause. The evening’s encore began with a message of unity on “Promised Land” before dissolving into “In The Midnight Hour.”
Busted Down on Bourbon Street returns to The Joy Theatre tonight for its second and final offering of Dead-adjacent entertainment.