“A Night Of Remembrance” for the departed Pops Waldecker and friends and fans we’ve lost was an exceptional and emotional show.  Returning to our home base, the Parliament Room at Otus Supply, we were joined by a hundred-plus friends to celebrate life and the Dead.  

Joining Bill, Matt, Laurie, Dave, and Joe were drummer Chaim Tolwin, and keyboardist Justin Lee.  On certain songs, guest guitarists James Waldecker and Matt Wigner also took the stage.  We debuted three songs, all with must-listen versions: “New Minglewood Blues,” Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” and “Death Don’t Have No Mercy.”  The afterglow from February’s Blues For Allah show continued as we took another ride through King Solomon’s Marbles, and Chaim surprised the band when he brought out a Fujara (a Slovakian shepherd’s overtone flute) during Drums.  

Dave announced that RTD will be taking a short break, as he will undergo open heart surgery on April 18 to repair an aneurysm caused by a congenital defect.  We are scheduled to return to Otus on July 11, although we may squeeze in one more show before the procedure - stay tuned!

Our entire show in glorious soundboard audio is on our Archive.org page.  Check it out below!

3-25-2022 Otus Supply, Ferndale, MI
I: Here Comes Sunshine, Hell in a Bucket, New Minglewood Blues*, Deep Elem Blues, El Paso, Loser>Jack A Roe, A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall*@, Promised Land@#
II: China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider#>Sugar Magnolia>Eyes of the World>The Music Never Stopped>Drums%>Space>King Solomon’s Marbles, Death Don’t Have No Mercy*@#>St. Stephen@#>The Eleven@#
E: Dead Flowers@#, Not Fade Away@#
*=First time played
@=James Waldecker on guitar
​#=Matt Wigner on guitar

Two is better than one!  This might just become a habit: our drummer Joseph Waldecker was once again joined by a second drummer, this time Chaim Tolwin of Supercrunch fame. Once again, Justin Lee from Dead At The Winery proved an awesome chairman of the boards. The Super Smash Brothers propelled us through a late night of killer Dead and if you were there, you know it was a night to remember!  

Highlights included our first Sailor>Saint since Halloween 2020, an amazing 40-minute trip through the heart of the Blues for Allah album, with drums and space and Sage and Spirit sandwiched inside the song Blues for Allah.  Add an Alabama>Greatest Story encore and... Well, you should just check it out below!  

This same lineup will perform at Otus Supply this Friday, March 25 at Otus Supply.  See you then! 

On March 3, 2022, members of RTD performed "Jerry's Tone: A Tribute to Jerry Garcia" at The Parliament at Otus Supply. The show started with a tribute to the Jerry Garica and John Kahn acoustic duo with RTD's Matt Cole (playing a Martin D16) and Richard Rickman (from Anna Lee's Company and Back Forty) playing the upright bass. 

Jerry's Tone Acoustic Duet 3-3-2022, Ferndale, MI
Dire Wolf, Deep Elum Blues, Friend of the Devil, Spike Driver Blues, Wang Dang Doodle > Bird Song, Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Ripple, Goodnight Irene.

Two electric sets followed with RTD's Laurie Lester (vocals), Justin Lee (keys), Joe Waldecker (drums), and Matt, along with John Lyle (bass, from Dead Again, and Deep Space Six), and Chaim Tolwin (drums, from Supercrunch). RTD's Dave Martin joined us to sing Sisters and Brothers. We had a great show and really enjoyed playing the Jerry Garcia Band repertoire to a nice audience at The Parliament Room (once again, we thank Thom Bloom for all the love and support). Joe and Chaim really hit it off and we're excited that they will be playing together at the next two RTD shows, March 18 at the Tangent Gallery, and March 25 at The Parliament at Otus Supply. 

Jerry's Tone Electric Band 3-3-2022, Ferndale, MI
Set 1: After Midnight, They Love Each Other, Stir it Up, Cats Under the Stars, Catfish John, Run for the Roses, Deal
Set 2: That's Love Will Make You Do, Deep Elum Blues, Tore Up Over You, Second that Emotion, Sisters and Brothers*, Gomorrah, Midnight Moonlight. Encore: Mighty High
*with Dave Martin on vocals