High Time Kick Off Sunday Show Residency at Brooklyn Bowl with Ira Kaplan

Photo by Taylor Weinber

On Sunday, Oct. 22, New York’s High Time returned to Brooklyn Bowl to open their highly anticipated fall residency. The transcendent celebration of the Grateful Dead’s early catalog featured a guest appearance by the co-founder of indie rock band Yo La Tengo, Ira Kaplan.

The five-piece–comprised of Adam Kriney (drums/vocals), Michael O’Neill (rhythm guitar/vocals), and Kevin Uehlinger (keys/vocals), alongside Pete Tonti (lead guitar/vocals) and James Preston (bass/vocals)–kept the Grateful Dead’s Sunday-show tradition alive with a two-set performance highlighted by a mesmerizing live liquid light show by Macrodose.

They opened the first set with “Viola Lee Blues” before a three-song jam of “Truckin’” > “Nobody’s Fault But Mine Jam” > “Eyes of the World.” Other highlights in the first frame included “Brown Eyed Women,” “Sugagree,” and a set closing, “Playin’ in the Band.”

After opening the second frame with renditions of “Morning Dew” and “New New Minglewood Blues,” High Time dived deeper into the waters of improvisation: jamming from “The Golden Road” > “New Potato Caboose.” After a cover of “Scarlet Begonias,” Kaplan joined the band on stage, marking the second time he’s done so.

Kaplin’s distinctive guitar elevated “Dark Star,” which melded into “New Speedway Boogie.” During the latter song, he also unleashed his vocal inclinations, which would continue to enliven the vibrations throughout the night. Without pause, the ensemble moved from “New Speedway Boogie” > “The Other One.” Next came “Spec Bebop,” an instrumental from Yo La Tengo’s seminal LP I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One. The sonic flow continued to flood over the Brooklyn Bowl as they returned to “New Speedway Boogie” before a set closing, “Turn on Your Lovelight.”

Speaking on the evening, which concluded with an encore of “Bertha,” High Time’s O’Neill said, “Jamming with Ira was truly special and reflects our ethos with High Time – that you don’t have to be a hippie or a head to appreciate the Grateful Dead. As kids of the ’90s, we absorbed a spectrum of musical influences, and we let all of them come through in our jams. Embracing that exploration in music captures the true spirit of what it’s all about.”

High Time will perform at Salty’s Beach Bar, Lake Como, N.J., on Nov. 17 and will return to the Brooklyn Bowl for Sunday performances on Nov. 19 and Dec. 17. For more information about High Time and their upcoming performances, visit www.hightimedeadband.com.

High Time

Brooklyn Bowl – New York

Oct. 22, 2023

Set I: Viola Lee Blues, Truckin > Nobody’s Fault But Mine Jam > Eyes of the World, Brown Eyed Women, Cumberland Blues, Sugaree, Playin’ in the Band 

Set II: Morning Dew, New New Minglewood Blues, The Golden Road >  Golden Jam > New Potato Caboose, Scarlet Begonias, Dark Star Jam¹ > New Speedway Boogie² > The Other One¹> Spec Bebop³ > New Speedway Boogie² > Turn on Your Lovelight¹

Enc.: Bertha 

1  – featuring Ira Kaplan on guitar 

2 –  featuring Ira Kaplan on vocals and guitar

3 – Yo La Tengo original featuring Ira Kaplan on guitar

Upcoming High Time Shows:

Nov. 17 – Salty’s Beach Bar – Lake Como, NJ

Nov. 18 – Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT

Nov. 19 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, N.Y

Dec. 16 – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia

Dec. 17 – Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, N.Y