This Sunday in Boulder: Don Was Performs Blues for Allah!

This Sunday, August 9, Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble bring a one-of-a-kind celebration to Boulder Theater, performing the Grateful Dead’s Blues for Allah in its entirety to honor the landmark album’s 50th anniversary, alongside music from the band’s acclaimed debut, Groove in the Face of Adversity.

Over the past three decades, Don Was has been one of music’s most influential behind-the-scenes innovators. The Detroit native has produced iconic albums for artists including Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Iggy Pop, while more recently taking the stage as bassist for Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band and his own Pan-Detroit Ensemble.

Drawing on the wide-ranging influences of his five-decade career, Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble channel the soul of the Motor City through a powerful blend of steamy jazz, juke-joint blues and deep-pocket funk. Their live interpretation of Blues for Allah offers a fresh perspective on the Grateful Dead classic, inspired in part by Was’ years performing the material alongside Bobby Weir.

“It’s the album’s 50th anniversary, and I’ve spent a lot of time playing that music with Bob in the Wolf Bros,” says Was. “When you really get under the hood of Blues for Allah, you realize it’s not the ‘noodling’ music people associate with the Dead. Once you strip away the 1975 production, these songs are built on a bedrock that feels totally at home in Detroit. It’s a journey that reveals the soul inside the psych-rock.”

Whether you’re a lifelong Deadhead, a fan of Detroit soul, or simply looking to experience something truly unique, this special performance is not to be missed.