Bob Weir and Wolf Bros kicked off their spring tour last night with a guest-filled concert at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. The Grateful Dead guitarist and his band weclcomed Margo Price, Wynonna, Mickey Raphael, Tommy Prine and Cactus Moser at various points of the evening.
Weir, bassist Don Was, drummer Jay Lane, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and pedal steel guitarist Barry Sless selected “Shakedown Street” to begin the show. “Shakedown Street” was among songs played last night featuring the Wolf Pack — a string and horn section consisting of violinist Mads Tolling, trombonist Adam Theis, trumpeter Brian Switzer, woodwind specialist Sheldon Brown and cellist Alex Kelly. The Wolf Pack stuck around for the Wolf Bros debut “Greatest Story Ever Told” live performance.
Last night’s first set continued on sans Wolfpack with covers of Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” and Bob Dylan’s “Queen Jane Approximately.” Then, Tommy Prine served as the evening’s first guest by helping out on “Great Rain,” a song penned and originally recorded by his father, John Prine. Bob Weir and Wolf Bros last performed “Great Rain” on March 21, 2019 in St. Louis.
Next, Wynonna and her musical and romantic partner, Cactus Moser, joined the quintet for The Judds’ “Why Not Me.” Wynonna went on to lead Weir, Was, Lane, Chimenti and Sless on the Grateful Dead classic “Ramble On Rose” before the quintet closed the frame with a version of Sonny West’s “Oh, Boy!” featuring vocals from Margo Price and Mickey Raphael on harmonica. “Oh, Boy” previously made a Wolf Bros setlist on March 11, 2019 in New York City.
Mickey Raphael, best known as Willie Nelson’s harmonica player, came out with Bob Weir and Wolf Bros for the “Friend Of The Devil” that launched Wednesday’s second set and stuck around for the majority of the set. Margo Price returned after the opener to duet with Weir on “Me & Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson and also added to “Scarlet Begonias” and the Dwight Yoakam cover “Fast As You.” The Wolf Pack was on hand for “Scarlet Begonias” and the rest of last night’s second set. Bob Weir and Wolf Bros followed Price’s final guest spot with “Playing In The Band.” Next up was an “Uncle John’s Band” featuring Raphael that incorporated “Supplication.”
Bob Weir and Wolf Bros were augmented by the Wolf Pack for a long and emotional “Morning Dew” to close the second set in Nashville. The ensemble capped the night with a “U.S. Blues” encore featuring Mickey Raphael.
Watch fan-shot video clips from last night’s show captured by Shane Carey below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca6BTDaqRhv/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca6CF5XK3kI/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca6EpYxqa9c/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca6NLhdqkky/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca6TwJUqNl4/
Setlist (via Bob Weir Instagram)
Set One: Shakedown Street, Greatest Story Ever Told, Mama Tried, Queen Jane Approximately, Great Rain*, Why Not Me?**, Ramble On Rose***, Oh Boy!^
Set Two: Friend Of The Devil^^, Me & Bobby McGee^, Scarlet Begonias&, Fast As You^, Playing In The Band > Uncle John’s Band^^ > Supplication^^ > Uncle John’s Band^^, Morning Dew
Encore: U.S. Blues
- * – with Tommy Prine
- ** – with Wynonna & Catus Moser
- *** – with Wynonna
- ^ – with Mickey Raphael and Margo Price
- ^^ – with Mickey Raphael
- & – with Margo Price
