photos: Dan Terpstra, Matt Cole, Dave Martin

What a cool night (literally)!  Raising the Dead arrived in Grand Rapids for our first gig in Furniture City. The game was sold out with a 10,500 capacity crowd and we were excited to play some good ole' Grateful Dead for the fans.  After setting up and grabbing a nosh across the street, we prepared for a 5:50 performance. Some misunderstanding about the door procedures meant we'd be playing while fans entered, but we made the most of it.  After all, we had these AMAZING official CCM Griffins/Grateful Dead jerseys that Bill had negotiated as part of our compensation for the gig.  The hockey players also had them, but they were soon to be auctioned for charity, where prices ranged from $500-1200 depending on the player. The band was asked by many fans if they could buy the jerseys off us, and Dave starting saying "for $1000, it's yours." 

Our friend Dan Terpstra from terpstraphoto.com was hired to be our personal paparazzi for the night, at a cost of 5 tickets and an all-access pass.  Dan's wife and my high school best friend Michele had turned 50 the previous day, so they were in a party mood.  Turns out the whole crowd was in a party mood!  After our 40 minute set pre-game, we were prepared to play two 14 minute sets during the period breaks.  A staff member told us that during the first break, they cancelled all on-ice events because the crowd was so into the show! Wow! Another staff member told us that in her 26 years, they never let a band play during the period breaks (not sure if that one is true, but happy for the enthusiasm).  What is certain is that with awesome sound reinforcement from Kim Denton and T Andrew Nicodem, the band was kicking on all cylinders and gave a rocking show, be sure to check it out below. 

1-21-2023 Grand Rapids Griffins Grateful Dead Night, Grand Rapids, MI
I: Sugaree, Uncle John's Band > Playin in the Band > Morning Dew > Playin in the Band > Uncle John's Band
II: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider
II: Feel Like A Stranger > Franklin's Tower

We were excited to keep the vibe going after our amazing Little Caesars Arena show, taking the stage at 11pm and leaving at 2am!  The first set video is below, but somebody bumped the camera before our second set, so you'll have to make do with just audio.  Either way, the AUD recordings are really excellent and worth a listen!  We left the stage exhausted but happy to have had such an amazing day of the best music.  We used the occasion as our rehearsal for the Griffins game to come the next weekend, and the palindrome we played (Playin>UJB>China Doll>UJB>Playin) would be repeated in a different order (and different middle song) at Van Andel Arena. 

Red Wings Afterparty at the Tangent Gallery, Detroit, MI 1-14-2023
I: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Easy Wind, Estimated Prophet > Eyes of the World > Drums & Space > Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance
II: Franklin's Tower, Althea, Playin' in the Band > Uncle John's Band > China Doll > Uncle John's Band > Playin' in the Band. 

Raising The Dead hope you'll join us on Saturday, January 21 at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI for the Griffin's Grateful Dead night.  Tickets are still available, starting at $17. There IS a t-shirt ticket pack available at $44. Performance begins at 5:30 and will also take place between periods.  We had an amazing show at the Red Wings, looking forward to one more!

More info from the T-Shirt Pack ticket link: 
​
Grateful Dead Tribute Night
Ticket + T-Shirt Exclusive
Saturday, Jan. 11 - Griffins vs. Springfield Falcons
Van Andel Arena - 7:00 p.m.
Join us January 21 as we pay tribute to one of the greatest rock bands of all time with a Griffins ∙ Grateful Dead Night!
Through this exclusive offer you’ll receive:
∙ A specially priced ticket to the Griffins ∙ Grateful Dead Night game.
∙ A voucher redeemable at the game for a Grateful Dead-themed t-shirt. Available exclusively through this offer, this limited edition shirt commemorates both the Griffins' Grateful Dead Night game, as well as the Dead's first and only Grand Rapids performance.
∙ Entry into a raffle for a Griffins game-issued Grateful Dead-themed jersey, with the drawing to to take place during the first period (one raffle entry per email). 
The game will feature a pre-game concert by Raising the Dead, and Griffins players will wear Grateful Dead-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off during and following the game in support of the Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation. For more information on everything Grateful Dead, visit Dead.net

What an amazing show!  The Grateful Dead night at Little Caesars Arena was a peak performance for Raising The Dead.  Just check out the setlist, chock full of deep Dead cuts. The sold out event was attended by 1500 Detroit deadheads, and we definitely felt the love!

Our show featured lead vocals by 6 of the 7 members of the band and sparkling harmonies throughout.  After a 4 minute space out, Golden Road began, the audience shouting "HEY!" with us by the end.  We then began the Terrapin Station section of Terrapin, Dave singing "inspiration!" Due to our 75 minute play time, we skipped Lady with a Fan. What we didn't skip was the remainder of the Terrapin Suite, showing off our instrumental prowess.  After some announcements, we performed Cassidy, dedicated to Cassidy Pepper whose mom Carli reached out to us via email with the request. Laurie took the lead on New Speedway Boogie, the band backing her up singing "One Way Or Another."  Bill's turn at the lead vocal was Pride of Cucamonga, a rarity for the Dead and other Dead tributes.  We included teases of Beck's Bolero in tribute to the recently deceased Jeff Beck, and The Other One in the E minor jam. Joe led us through our debut of The Band's The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, another opportunity to showcase our awesome backing vocals.  Matt took the reins on our debut of Built To Last, and Justin expertly took over vocals on Sampson and Delilah.  We ended the show with a repeat from last year's Red Wings show, Shakedown Street.  All in all, this was RTD at it's most powerful and focused - a beautiful thing to behold. 

We have so many thanks to give: top notch audio by On Sight Productions, video production by TheFunkShop.com, and the awesome Red Wings organization led by our contact, Payten Mahoney.  Dave spent many hours producing soundboard audio and melding captured video.  If you only watch one RTD video, make it this one! 

Raising The Dead is performing on January 21 at the Grand Rapids Griffins game at the Van Andel Arena.  

1-14-2023 Red Wings Grateful Dead Night, Detroit, MI

Space > Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) > Terrapin Station > Terrapin Transit > At A Siding > Terrapin Flyer > Refrain, Cassidy > New Speedway Boogie, Pride of Cucamonga*, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down^, Built to Last^, Sampson and Delilah, Shakedown Street

*=Beck's Bolero and The Other One teases
^=RTD debut

Big news!  Immediately following the Red Wings game on Saturday, January 14, Raising The Dead will take the stage at The Tangent Gallery & Hastings Street Ballroom at 715 E. Milwaukee Street, Detroit.  The band will play from about 11 to 2am, and admission is $20 at the door.  Listen to the river and sing sweet songs with us one more time! 

photos: William Morgan

What a real good time! William Morgan hired Raising The Dead to perform at his home for his 61st birthday, and it was an amazing jam.  The place was packed and the music never stopped - until about 3am! Here's the set list, find the music at Bill's Mixlr channel, where he catalogs over 100 shows a year.  For this show, we were joined by Justin Lee, who duct taped his mic to the wall in a feat worthy of MacGuyver. 

​1-6-2023 South Lyon, MI
I: The Music Never Stopped, Mississippi Half Step Toodeloo > Brown Eyed Women, El Paso, Uncle John's Band, Big Bad Blues, Here Comes Sunshine, Tennessee Jed
II: Just A Little Light > Colors of the Rain > Terrapin Suite > Standing On The Moon > Throwing Stones > Drums/Space > Cold Rain and Snow > Black Throated Wind > Let It Grow > Dancing in the Streets Bridge > Let It Grow > Morning Dew > Around and Around, I've Got a Feeling*
III: Happy Birthday William, Shakedown Street > Not Fade Away > Turn On Your Love Light > Brokedown Palace
* = first time played

photos: Michael Chojnowski

The Sardine Room is a cool little restaurant in the heart of downtown Plymouth, MI, and also the location for the hottest New Years Day party in 2023!  Raising the Dead was really happy to exercise our acoustic quartet chops and play a super chill show.  Our host, Julia, ran a great event, and we even got a sit in from Fernwhale's Angela Shepherd on a few songs. Stay tuned for live video of the event! 

RTD Acoustic 1-1-2023, Plymouth, MI
I: Truckin, Brown Eyed Women, Cassidy*, Bird Song, El Paso > Big River, Uncle John's Band, I Know You Rider
II: Box of Rain, They Love Each Other*, Weather Report > Let It Grow, Dear Prudence, Gomorrah, Eyes of the World*, Sugar Magnolia* > Sunshine Daydream*, The Wheel
* = Angela Shepherd on vocals

photos: William Morgan

On December 29, Raising the Dead and Matt's side project, Jerry's Tone both played at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, MI.  This was a show that featured a smaller line up of RTD: Dave Martin and Joseph Waldecker both had other engagements, so the band was Bill Butler, Matthew Cole, Laurie Lester, and Chaim Tolwin, with Alex Gauthier sitting in on keys.  You can check out the show that was live streamed to Facebook at the links below. 

December 29, 2022 The Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, MI

Jerry's Tone: They Love Each Other, Sugaree, The Maker, Cats Down Under The Stars, Run For The Roses, Mission In The Rain, My Sisters And Brothers, Tangled Up In Blue

RTD: Eyes of the World > Estimated Prophet > Dear Prudence > Stella Blue > China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider > Jack Straw > Feel Like A Stranger, Midnight Hour > Brokedown Palace

Live streamed video on Facebook: 
Jerry's Tone: https://fb.watch/hRFgwY8A8o/
Raising The Dead: https://fb.watch/hRFl7vsi09/