Bill Kreutzmann Tests Positive for COVID, Vampire Weekend’s Chris Tomson Fills in During Daze of the Dead West Coast Finale

Photo via Bill Kreutzmann’s Official Facebook

Prior to Billy & the Kids’ final West Coast stand on Thursday, Nov. 2, at the Santa Barbara Bowl in Santa Barbara, Calif., marking the last show for their Daze of the Dead run, the ensemble’s lead backbeat and namesake shared that he had tested positive for COVID and, as a result, would not be able to take the stage. As a last-minute stand-in, Kreutzmann called upon Vampire Weekend and Taper’s Choice drummer Chris Tomson, who had previously intended to sit in during the night’s “Drums” > “Space” combo.

The original Grateful Dead backbeat shared in part, “I’ll get right to it then – my wife and I both tested positive for Covid. I’ll be okay other than the immense disappointment and frustration that I’m feeling about having to sit out tonight.” Read the full statement below. He added that Tomson would fill his space and assist fellow Kids: Tom Hamilton, Reed Mathis, Aron Magner, and special guests Brad and Andrew Barr. 

With the stage set and ready and a message instructing the band that the show must go on in place, the players mentioned above, took their spots and cut into the first number of the night, a debut of the Grateful Dead original “Don’t Ease Me In.” From one first-time play to the next, they added in The Beatles’ “I Am The Walrus” merged with a “Me and My Uncle” follow-up before Bob Weir’s Ace classic, “Cassidy.” Next, the group added new material again with the arrival of “Lazy River Road,” propelled by Barr and Tomson’s consistent rhythm. 

Set one continued with Wake of the Flood favorite, “Eyes of the World,” paired with Marvin Gaye’s “Baby Don’t Do It.” “U.S. Blues” marked the final song of the frame, giving way to a break at the halfway point of the night. Upon the band’s return, they resumed the latter part of the concert with sister tunes “Help on the Way” into “Slipknot!” “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” came next and represented the jumping-off point for the night’s display “Drums.” Breaking away from the aforementioned improvised beats, the band landed on “China Cat Sunflower.” 

Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” ensued before “Foolish Heart,” which brought forth a “Slipknot!” reprise. For their encore, the group started with “So Many Roads” merged with a “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club” reprise, which concluded Billy & the Kids’ initial number during their Mountain Winery stand in Saratoga, Calif., on Oct. 31.

Kreutzmann’s full statement:

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT regarding tonight’s Santa Barbara Bowl show:

In show business they say the show must go on. In the world of the Grateful Dead, that’s never even been a question. Our community knows how to take lemons and make tie-dye lemonade. We know how to improvise and we know how to jam. And we know how to come together as a community and dance our way through twists and turns while the music plays the bands.

I’ll get right to it then – my wife and I both tested positive for Covid. I’ll be okay other than the immense disappointment and frustration that I’m feeling about having to sit out tonight — I was looking forward to this show since the minute we first talked about it. I’ve been wanting to play the Bowl for years.

I’m very lucky to have the Kids that I do, who have all rallied around me today. As I type this, they are on the stage at the Santa Barbara Bowl getting ready for the show.

As a surprise treat, we were going to have our friend Chris Tomson from Vampire Weekend come out to jam on drums with us for Drums->Space. Chris (“CT”) was already on his way to Santa Barbara when my covid diagnosis came back, and he felt the same way as the rest of the band — the show must go on.

We could have just canceled it outright but we’re all already here and the band and crew have all put so much work into making tonight special, so this is the time for us as Deadheads to come together, celebrate the holiday, and remember that life is precious – any time that we get a chance to honor it by gathering and dancing and singing and reveling, we must do that.

“Day of the Dead” is about spirits, so may the spirit of the Grateful Dead ride with us tonight while the Kids they dance and shake their bones.

For those who opt, full refunds will be issued at the point of sale. I appreciate everyone’s understanding and may the Great Spirit bless the Deadheads.

Billy & the Kids 

Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, Calif. 

Nov. 2, 2023

Set I: Don’t Ease Me In+, I Am The Walrus+ > Me and My Uncle, Cassidy, Lazy River Road+, Eyes of the World > Baby Don’t You Do It, U.S. Blues 

Set II: Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo > Drums > China Cat Sunflower, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, It  Hurts Me Too, Foolish Heart > Slipknot! Reprise 

Enc.: So Many Roads > Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Reprise 

Notes: 

The entire show played without Kreutzmann, who sat out after a positive COVID test 

+ Debut 

Setlist via Setlist.FM.