Sturgill Simpson, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi and More Join Dead & Company Members for Dead Ahead Set

Setlist via Dead Ahead’s Facebook page

Last night, several members of Dead & Company came together for a special set during the Dead Ahead festival at Quintana Roo, Mexico’s Moon Palace hotel. Billed as Dead Ahead, the all-star jam featured Dead & Company’s Bob Weir,  Mickey Hart, Jeff Chimenti and Jay Lane, as well special guests Sturgill Simpson, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. Dead & Co. bassist Oteil Burbridge handled bass duties throughout the first set while Weir’s Wolf Bros. partner Don Was provided the low end during the second set.

The show kicked off with the Dead’s traditional Sunday song, “Samson and Delilah.” Brittney Spencer, who sat in with Wolf Bros at New York’s Radio City Music Hall in 2022 and has guested with Weir on occasion since then, sang on the tune. Simpson then handled lead vocals on “Dark Hollow,” while Tedeschi sang lead on “Mr. Charlie” and shared the mic with Weir on “Ramble On Rose.” Burbridge fronted on the band on “High Time”–one of his trademark Dead ballads–before the entire band sang along with Weir on a segue between two of the Dead’s biggest hits, “Truckin’” into “Uncle John’s Band.” Later, Spencer returned to sing with Weir on “Looks Like Rain” and Weir and Tedeschi on “Turn On Your Love Light.”

Tedeschi stepped to the front of the stage at the start of set two for “Sugaree” and The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” The latter song then segued into a take  on “China Cat Sunflower” led by Simpson, “I Know You Rider,” a Simpson-fronted cover of Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy” and a reprise of “Hey Jude.” (The run combined two classic Grateful Dead segues.”)

A welcome surprise, Simpson shared lead vocals with Weir on the Dead’s signature ’60s song “Dark Star.” This version of the tune segued into a “Drums/Space” segment that found  Rhythm Devils member Burbridge returning to the stage. Next, Simpson helped Weir bust out JJ Cale’s “Call Me the Breeze” for the first time since a June 12, 2013 AmericanA Fest show at San Rafael, CA’s Terrapin Crossroads. The set then closed with the beautiful “Standing on the Moon” and a sing-along version of “Not Fade Away” that also featured Burbridge. Weir and Simpson fronted the group on the night’s encore, “U.S. Blues.”

Dead Ahead’s debut was part of a busy weekend at the destination event. On Saturday, Sierra Hall covered the Dead’s “Black Muddy River” while Lettuce put together a late-night tribute to Jerry Garcia that included both songs he covered–like Smokey Robinson’s I Second That Emotion,” Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” and Cale’s “After Midnight”– and his originals, such as “They Love Each Other” and “West L.A. Fadeaway.” Oteil & Friends’ headlining set also paid tribute to Garcia, opening with Jerry Garcia Band’s “Cats Under the Stars” and weaving in Jesse Stone’s “Don’t Let Me” and a mash-up of the Dead’s “Friend of the Devil” and Nirvana’s “Lithium.” In addition, the bassist honored to his time with Col. Bruce Hampton with “Fixin’ to Die” and The Allman Brothers Band with “Dreams” and “Every Hungry Woman.” Staying with the theme, Jaime Wyatt performed “Althea” and LP Giobbi djed a late-night mix of Dead classics. 

Dead Ahead will come to a close today.