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Bobby Weir and the Wolf Bros treated their (expectedly) sold-out Atlanta audience to a killer set of songs… which any fan might expect. The difference here was that the band was joined by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, their second orchestral engagement following last October’s engagement with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. As the evening would reveal, it opens another realm of interpretation to songs loved and heard in many iterations before.
The concert began with an overture by the ASO, conducted by Steven Reineke. In addition to possibly introducing a new audience to the breadth and power of an orchestra or the ASO specifically, it set the stage for what was to come. And for it, they received a standing ovation… before Bob Weir and company were even in sight.
After Bobby Weir ([sic of the touring name,] aka Bob), the Wolf Bros (Don Was on bass, Jeff Chimenti on piano and Jay Lane on bass), AND the Wolf Pack (pedal steel and a string/brass section) joined the stage, they began with the “Playing in the Band.” Bob Weir’s vocals immediately caught the ear, bringing the familiar to a decidedly different accompaniment. Fans didn’t wait to start singing along. “Uncle John’s Band” followed, perhaps a playful sequencing to whose band it is in the preceding song.
The band followed with the first verse of “Dark Star,” one of the band’s all-time classics, which had fans swaying in or near their seats. They closed a brisk 50-minute opening set with “Cassidy,” with a beautiful arrangement and standout saxophone and violin solos by the Wolfpack.
After the break, the crowd was ready for more, and “China Cat Sunflower,” drew the crowd into shouting “China cat.” This was followed in the Dead concert tradition by the traditional song, “I Know You Rider,” which ended with an all but a cappella performance.
It was of interest to see how the band integrates with the orchestra. By no means do they stop playing while the orchestra is leading the music. Weir still does his thing on guitar, and Chimenti’s keys find their spots to flourish. But other than Weir, it’s all eyes on the conductor. Jay Lane’s focus there was often intense, an interesting deference of roles for keeping the beat.
“Terrapin Station” probably brought the greatest amount of the crowd engagement. It’s a suite where orchestration is already familiar to the audience and also has high energy moments. “That was amazing!” and “That was sooo good” were immediately heard from nearby fans, speaking for the audience at large for certain.
“Wharf rat” and the poetically rich yet enigmatic “Stella Blue” followed, both an enjoyable treat with the ASO treatment.
After that, the ASO departed the stage, with Weir noting that “We’re taking over now.”
What followed was another fan favorite, “Eyes of the World,” the band’s instruments obviously finding more aural definition. This led into “What’s Going On?,” the grooviest and sneakiest protest song ever. The audience recognized the end of the show was coming, but they were all in on this one. The band closed with a reprise of “Eyes of the World,” and to my ear, it looked like they had to be reminded that it was to be their last song.
This was an awesome experience for marrying the Dead’s music with an orchestra, and, based on the video cameras, I suspect it’ll be available to all at some point.
Set 1:
Set 2:
One Response
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