Bobby Weir & the Wolf Brothers – Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore 9/28/2023
The Pier Six Pavilion in the Baltimore Harbor hosted Bobby Weir & the Wolf Brothers last Thursday night. Cool breezes were coming off the water as the rows snaked forever around and back and forth in the parking lot.
Nobody minded the line. Everyone seemed at ease and somehow familiar. Deadheads who took a sharp intake of breath when they heard that Dead & Co weren’t going to tour anymore could be seen happily exhaling in the smiling crowd. Bobby knows how to hit the sweet spots, instinctively. He walked onstage without much fanfare and started a little early with “The Music Never Stopped” and then “Easy Answers.” By the time he and the band played the opening notes of “Desolation Row,” fans were fully grooving. Literally.
Folks weren’t necessarily in the right seats, security in that area was pretty chill, but as always, Deadheads were polite and kind to one another – almost hyper perceptive — as they found seats that worked for them in the general vicinity. Some folks were dancing out in the peripheral aisles. Balloons were bounced over heads. Conversations were happening among strangers with someone early on speculating about whether they would play “Terrapin” tonight. Other folks shared stories about the rain that interrupted the Charlotte show. Folks shared joints, and occasional others waved them off saying they had been sober for their number of months or years. The camaraderie was all fully there.
Everyone sang along to “Me and My Uncle” with wide grins while shedding the concerns of daily life that seem to dog each of us. Then “Even So” and “October Queen.”
“Deal” closed the first set with another round of fans dancing and celebrating.
At one point during the intermission a Bill Withers song played and people were singing along. An another point, crew came out onstage and news spread through the crowd that the Orioles won the baseball game that had been happening in the neighborhood at Camden Yards and clinched the title.
The second set opened with “The Winners” and the sort of painful lyrics from the Rudyard Kipling poem with lines like: “He travels the fastest who travels alone.”
“Estimated –> New Speedway Boogie” was a thrill, and then “China —> Rider” and “The Wheel.” During “Wheel” Bobby demonstrated small wheels and big wheels turning, which was one of his few theatrical moves of the night. Everyone was euphoric and there was lots of singing along and love for Bobby and the band.
Bobby didn’t move a whole lot but his songs and playing sure were moving. Folks danced everywhere in the space, many with their eyes closed just listening. “Standing on the Moon” was lovely.
And then, at the very end of the night, the fans got their wishes fulfilled as the band launched into the lengthy and much beloved “Terrapin” suite and it was phenomenal and beautiful.
The lineup for the night was Don Was on stand up bass, Jeff Chimenti on keys, Greg Liesz on pedal steel, on drums, and the Wolfpack on horns (Brian Switzer on trumpet, Adam Theis on tenor trombone, Sheldon Brown on tenor and alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, Mads Tolling on violin, and Alex Kelly on cello). Mads Tolling has an effects processor on the violin that sounded like a flute for leads.
This wraps up this tour for Bob and the Wolf Bros, which for them only means a couple weeks break. More tour dates are already populating the website. Bob often posts a stream of their recent shows — you can find them on the website.
Pier Six Pavilion is a beautiful setting on Pier 6 of the Baltimore Harbor (on the Chesapeake Bay). What’s more, there’s a parking garage right there, designated for show attendees. Nice planning.
Not much more a fan could ask for than to enjoy music in that satisfying and lovely context.
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Show Review: Bob Weir at the Moody Theater
Find more details always updated here: https://bobweir.net
The Music Never Stopped
Easy Answers
Desolation Row
Me and My Uncle
Even So
October Queen
Deal
Set 2:
The Winners
Estimated Prophet
New Speedway Boogie
China Cat Sunflower
I Know You Rider
The Wheel
Standing on the Moon
Terrapin Station Suite
Great review! Cool publication!
Thank you!