Wave that flag!  On a hot and steamy July 3rd, Raising The Dead took to a (thankfully) tented red white and blue stage at the Gibraltar Fair and laid down two sets of groovin' Grateful Dead.  We swapped hour-long sets with Full Speed Ahead, a double-guitar, double-keyboard, yacht rock powerhouse featuring some incredible players and singers.  Full Speed Ahead is our Bass player/lead singer Bill Butler's "other" band, so he held down the low end all night long. 

This summer has been a great one for us so far, and the shows seem to keep getting better and better. A big part of this is thanks to the fresh energy of the drummers we've had sit in: T.W. Coleman (at the Psychedelic Shack), Nick Serocki (who played at Trixie's), Brent Nagy (The Watermark), and now Steven NyQuist.  Steven is known as the long-time drummer for the Saginaw band Sprout and the Orange. He took over the Kreutzman seat with expertise and gusto in Gibraltar, and showed off his groove mastery as well as his excellent voice.  We were jazzed to play with him, and look forward to having him join us again soon. 

On to the show: Shakedown was energetic and fun, Row Jimmy featured a cool calypso breakdown at the end, and we played our best rendition of the epic Unbroken Chain yet.  The Wheel showcased our 3 part harmonies, and gave way to a great Terrapin.  We ended our first set with  an irresistible melody for even the non-deadheads in the crowd, the Dead's biggest hit, Touch of Gray,

The second set was filled with high energy rockers.  Sugar Magnolia was quick and intense, Jack Straw came on like a freight train, and the Cryptical>Other One>Cryptical sandwich satisfied with an intense jam.  We shifted into crowd favorite Truckin, and brought the blues hard.  Uncle John's Band showcased some of our best harmony ever, and the jumpy jam got pretty (as in pretty far out) before returning to the song.  We finished our time with a up-tempo China Cat>I Know You Rider, and left the crowd wanting more.

We're taking next week off from performing, but Raising The Dead will rise again at the Michigan Glass Project on July 19.  See you there! 
​
7-3-2019 Gibraltar Fair, Gibraltar, Michigan
I: Shakedown Street, Row Jimmy, Unbroken Chain, The Wheel>Terrapin Station>Touch of Gray
II: Sugar Magnolia, Jack Straw, Cryptical Envelopment>The Other One>Cryptical Envelopment>Truckin>Uncle John's Band, China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider 
First show with drummer Steven NyQuist

Raising The Dead returned to the Watermark in St. Clair Shores for our first show on their dock, and it was a long, crazy, crazy night!  We played 3 sets of music from 8 to midnight, and spiced our show with some of the Dead's most challenging and fun-to-play songs along with a healthy heap of exploratory improvisation.  We were excited to see so many of our most faithful fans there - including Sydne, Stephanie, Erik, Michael - and their energy and excitement helped propel us through our set.  We were also joined by the excellent drummer and human being Brent Nagy for this gig, and he laid down a fat and funky groove all night long. 

Set I started with the crowd pleasers Black Throated Wind, Brown Eyed Women, and Row Jimmy, got some 2-step action with Jack-A-Roe.  Brent helped fill in the third harmony with The Wheel and So Many Roads, and Cassidy closed the set with an exploratory jam that made our intentions for the evening clear.  After a short break, we retook the stage with a rockin' Jack Straw, followed by one of our current favorite compositions, Unbroken Chain.  Big River was our funky mid-set reset, and then we really let it go with Weather Report>Let It Grow, which featured some crazy Moog-on-Strat action.  Dave almost forgot to play Touch of Gray, which seems... Appropriate? 

It was the third set that really showcased our improv skills, as we navigated some of the Dead's best vehicles for getting "there."  Help>Slip>Frank, a 18-minute Dark Star, the Raising The Dead debut of Estimated Prophet, and a beautiful Eyes of the World that melted into Uncle John's Band all featured some of our best playing yet.  We topped the cake with the perfect pair of pairs, Sailor>Saint and Scarlet>Fire.  As the evening drew to a close, we wiped the fish flies from our equipment and packed up satisfied in a gig well done.  Thanks to everyone who came out and danced on the dock.  We'll be back Labor Day weekend to do it again!  In the mean time, come to Gibraltar on July 3rd to wave that flag and enjoy the fireworks both on stage and after dark.

6-27-2019 Watermark Bar & Grille, St. Clair Shores, MI

I: Black Throated Wind, Brown Eyed Women, Row Jimmy, Jack-A-Roe, The Wheel, So Many Roads*, Cassidy
II: Jack Straw, Unbroken Chain, Big River, Weather Report Suite>Let It Grow, Touch of Grey
III: Help On The Way>Slipknot>Franklin's Tower, Dark Star, Estimated Prophet*>Eyes of the World>Uncle John's Band, Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance, Scarlet Begonias>Fire On The Mountain
*=First time played

Photos: Sydne Kasle and Michael Chojnowski

On a beautiful summer solstice, Raising The Dead returned to Trixie's in Hamtramck for an evening of Grateful favorites. We were joined again by Nick Serocki, who most Detroit Deadheads recognize as 1/2 of the drum duo from Deadicated. The show was attended by some of our favorite frequent flyer fans including Sydne, Stephanie, and John.

Together, we worked our way through an 80-minute first set, with standout versions of Sugaree, Looks Like Rain, and Terrapin Station. Set 2 always includes fewer songs than we plan - because once the jams take over, playing the song we're on takes precedence over playing the song we planned to do next. Still, we laid down a big Shakedown, gave the Mississippi solos their due, and spaced out a pretty Bird Song. The highlight of the set is a energetic, drum and bass fueled Playin' in the Band - if you listen to just one song, that's the one.

We hope to return to Trixie's soon, but in the mean time, our summer concerts continue this week at The Watermark in St. Clair Shores. We hope to see you there!

6/21/2019 Trixie's Bar, Hamtramck, MI

I: Bertha, Althea, Dire Worf, Sugaree, Scarlet Begonias>Fire On The Mountain, Looks Like Rain, Brown Eyed Women, Terrapin Station
II: Shakedown Street, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad>Bird Song, U.S. Blues, Me and My Uncle, Playin' In The Band, Deal

We're playing out a lot this summer, come dance with us! RSVP on facebook page. 

Hippies, hipsters, psychedelic art, vegan cuisine, a treehouse, kids, cats, dogs, and a goat - this was the scene at the Psychedelic Healing Shack and Vegetarian Cafe last night when Raising The Dead setup for a house-party to remember.  

The music started at 9pm, with a country-western flavored selection of Grateful favorites, punctuated by an energetic Sugar Magnolia.  We approached halftime with Uncle John's Band, and set expectations for the rest of the night with a 10 min jam that had attendees howling with joy.  

After a short break, we played what we'd planned for one hour and fifteen minutes over the next one hour and FIFTY minutes.  Shakedown was hot and funky, Bird Song got lost in some pretty exploration, Half-Step and Promised Land rocked, and Wharf Rat made its first appearance in an RTD show (after having been cut from the end of setlists 3 times!)  The final stretch featured Eyes of the World, with the Dead's signature composed Coda, including the 7/8 riff that seems to come out of nowhere (and blew superfan Sydne's mind).  Eyes gave way to Playin, which evolved into a crazy drums/space featuring an impromptu percussion appearance by Joeseph from the People Movers Band.  Space gave way to The Wheel, that turned round to a precise and epic Terrapin Station.  The set ended with a segue back to Playin' and a rockin' US Blues to end the night. 

The band was joined by guest Drummer TW Coleman, who was the original drummer for RTD.  Thanks everyone, for a real good time!

Set I: Touch of Grey, Sugaree, Mama Tried, Brown Eyed Women, El Paso, Looks Like Rain, Me and My Uncle, Row Jimmy*, Sugar Magnolia, Uncle John's Band
Set II: Shakedown Street, Bird Song, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Promised Land, Wharf Rat* > Eyes of the World > Playin in the Band > Drums > Space > The Wheel > Terrapin Station > Playin reprise, U S. Blues
*first time played

Photos: Sydne Kasle

Due to a last-minute change, Raising The Dead will not appear at Trixie's in Hamtramck on Friday, May 24 - instead we'll be at the Psychedelic Healing Shack and Vegetarian Cafe at 18700 Woodward Ave., Detroit.  We will still play from 9-midnight, and there will be a $5 cover charge (door starts at 8).  A full menu of vegetarian items will be offered and of course, we'll be serving some of the greatest music ever written!  We hope you'll join us for a fun evening!  We will return to Trixie's on Friday, June 21st. 

It was a 420 to (try to) remember!  Dedicated is another Detroit-area Grateful Dead tribute, headed by the guitar-wielding Matt Cole.  Matt invited Raising The Dead to join Dedicated at the Eastern Market Brewing Company for a long afternoon of performing our favorite music.  RTD was joined by drummer Brent Nagy for the first time (Brent had previously played a short medley with us at an audition), and he brought his formidable energy and expertise to the Kreutzman throne.

Dedicated got things started in fine style, heating up the packed crowd with favorites like Rainy Day Women #12 & 35, Candyman, and Shakedown Street.  Raising The Dead started at 6:30 on the dot, and delivered a deep-track setlist of some of the most challenging jams in the Dead catalog.  After a rocking Help>Slip, we invited Matt to join us for Frankiln's tower.  We debuted Phil Lesh's beautiful Unbroken Chain, which jams in both 11/8 and 15/8 time signatures. Scarlet>Fire once again saw Matt and Jake trading leads.  We played two pairs of Bob Weir classics, with Weather Report Suite>Let it Grow, followed by Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance.  We finished the night out with Matt once again, playing China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider.  Matt surprised us with a "And We Bid You Goodnight" tag, and we all joined in to help end the show.  

We hope we'll be able to repeat this double-Dead show again soon!  Judging by the fan reaction, it can't happen soon enough!

Eastern Market Brewery, April 20, 2019
Help on the Way>Slipknot!>Franklin's Tower*, Unbroken Chain**, Scarlet Begonias**>Fire on the Mountain**, Weather Report Suite>Let It Grow, Lost Sailor>Saint of Circumstance, China Cat Sunflower**>I Know You Rider**> We Bid You Goodnight (instrumental)* **
* with Matt Cole on guitar
** debut

RTD's set begins at 2:24:30 of the video

On a rainy Friday night, we loaded into our first gig at The Watermark in St. Clair Shores.  We loaded a corner in the bar with our gear and played an evening of high-energy Grateful Dead.  Max debuted his new Moog Sub Phatty to great acclaim (check them out in Terrapin, Stranger and Fire), and with the help of our sound engineer, Josiah, we entertained a room full of dancing Deadheads. For our second show in a row, the excellent Nick Serocki from Deadicated sat in the Kreutzmann seat, holding it down with expertise and class. We'd had show posters made for the occasion, and signed and raffled them off, after giving one to a birthday girl in the house.  We had a GRATE time and can't wait to come back!  

Set I:Mississippi Half Step Uptown Toodeloo, Althea, Sugaree, Scarlet Begonias >Fire on the Mountain
Set II: Deal, Dear Prudence, Me and My Uncle, Shakedown Street, Terrapin Station
Set III: Bird Song, GDTRFB, Franklin's Tower, China Cat Sunflower >I Know You Rider, Feel Like A Stranger, Casey Jones

Raising The Dead performed a set of classic Grateful Dead at Trixie's Bar in Hamtramck on Saturday, March 9, 2019.  Trixie's is one of many Hamtramck bars participating in the Hamtramck Music Fest, a yearly all-volunteer festival to raise money for music eduction in the Hamtramck public schools.  This year, RTD was one of dozens of bands that donated their time and talent for this worthy cause.  
The bill at Trixie's included Dead People laying down some tasty alt-country licks, John Salvage's solo electric looper jams, and trombone-flavored rock and roll from Slizz.  Fitting our 5-piece band on the stage was like a game of Tetris, but we simplified our setup and got in close.  We began our set after midnight, concluding just before 1:30.  The set featured our debuts of Cryprical Envelopment and He's Gone, and featured the formidible drumming talents of Nick Sercoki, on loan from Deadicated.  
The crowd at midnight included an excited contingent of Deadheads, obviously excited to sing along to their favorite band.  Their appreciation was obvious and really fueled us as we jammed.  

3-9-2019 Hamtramck Music Festival, Trixie's Bar
Feel Like A Stranger, Cryptical Envelopment*>The Other One>Cryptical Envelopment>Dark Star>Big River, Jack Straw, He's Gone*>Truckin', China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider 
*=First time played
Featuring Nick Serocki on drums

Raising The Dead is playing two big shows in March - At Trixie's in Hamtramck on the 9th and the Watermark Bar and Grille in St. Clair Shores on the 15th.  We are excited to announce that we will be joined at both gigs by drummer Nick Serocki, on loan from Deadicated. His percussionist partner Josh Sehn will also join us at the Watermark!  We can't wait to share the groove with them, and especially to have our first 2-drummer show March 15th.  

The Trixie's gig on March 9 is part of the 4-day Hamtramck Music Festival, where one $15 wristband gives you admission to dozens of shows, and the proceeds go to benefit the Hamtramck Public Schools Music Program.  No cash will be accepted at the door, you must have a wristband.  Here's how to get yours. 

The Watermark is a beautiful venue overlooking Lake St. Clair, and they hope to make it a premiere destination for great music.  Raising The Dead has the chance to be one of their core acts, but we need you to come out and see us!  Expect the songs you know and love and some great jams in our own virtuoso style, held together by Deadicated's Double-Drummer Duo.  It's the place to be - see you there!