WEEKLY ENCORE: Your Must-Read Setlist
Here's a look at this week's top headlines.
Relix Daily
August 09, 2025
August 9, 2025
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Dead & Company kicked off their three-night run at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park last night. The show not only marks the beginning of the ensemble’s official 60th anniversary celebration of the Grateful Dead’s formation but also fell on what would have been Jerry Garcia’s 83rd birthday. Though the Dead have a long history of performances in Golden Gate Park, dating back in the mid-1960s, last night was the first time Dead & Company has performed at the famed Polo Fields.Billy Strings, one of three celebrity acts confirmed to support Dead & Company this weekend, opened the day with an afternoon set at 4:30pm. In addition to his own originals and adopted covers, Strings nodded to the event with a take on “Shady Grove,” the bluegrass favorite popularized in certain circles by Garcia and David Grisman–who was also Strings’ introduction to this world–and “Thunder,” a latter-day Robert Hunter tune that BK3 wrote music for and Strings reworked after he started playing with members of the Dead. Trixie Garcia, Jerry’s daughter who helps oversee his estate, offered a short introduction before the evening’s headliner, emphasizing the weekend’s family feel. Then, Dead & Company’s set commenced with “Feel Like a Stranger” and moved on to include first set chestnuts Iike Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Streets,” “Tennessee Jed,” “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” Johnny Cash’s “Big River” and “Althea.”
At the the start of the band’s second set, Grahame Lesh, who also led his own Heart of Town tribute to the Dead at Pier 48 later in the evening, emerged to help the group through his father Phil’s signature “Box of Rain,” which Dead & Company started playing in 2016 but have only performed sporadically since; Grahame played his dad’s Big Brown bass on the selection. CONTINUE READING
Nectar’s, the half-century staple of Burlington, Vt.’s live music landscape and legendary proving ground for the jam scene, has announced its permanent closure. In a message posted to its social channels, the venue shared that it will no longer operate from its iconic home of 188 Main Street, though its “spirit will live on,” alluding to the possibility of relocated programming in the future.
“After 50 unforgettable years at 188 Main Street, and with a heartfelt goodbye, Nectar’s will no longer occupy the space that helped shape the soul of Burlington’s music scene,” the venue confirmed. “While our time at this beloved address is coming to a close, the spirit of Nectar’s will live on. To our family, fans, and friends – thank you. Your energy over the last five decades has meant more than we can ever say. The Nectar’s light will forever burn bright in Burlington.”
Nectar’s closure follows a temporary summer hiatus that began on June 7 and spurred another rally of support for the legendary stage. At that time, owners first made the community aware that they were facing “immense challenges affecting both downtown Burlington and the local live music & entertainment scene.”
“The truth is, we’ve been hit hard. The Main Street Construction Project has taken a heavier toll than we anticipated,” they wrote. “Like many downtown businesses, we’ve felt the impact of reduced foot traffic and public safety concerns. The energy has shifted. And for a small, independent venue like ours, that shift cuts deep. But let us be clear: this is not the end.” CONTINUE READING
Credit: Herb Greene (Intro) // Gary Regoster (1) // Grunt Records (2/6) // Roger Ressmeye (3) // Mike Somavilla Collection (4) // Gary Gershoff (5) // Jay Blakesberg (7/9) // RCA Records (10)
In 1974, Jefferson Airplane evolved into Jefferson Starship, marking a significant transformation in both sound and spirit. Born out of San Francisco’s psychedelic scene, Jefferson Airplane became a defining voice of the counterculture movement in the late ‘60s. But by the turn of the decade, shifts in the musical and political landscape, including the band’s lineup, paved the way for change.
