Deadheads for Obama is the name given to the February 4th, 2008 reunion concert of three former members of the Grateful Dead at the Warfield in San Francisco. The show, performed one day before the Super Tuesday primary elections, was an act of support for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, and featured former Dead members Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, and Mickey Hart, as well as John Molo, Jackie Greene, Steve Molitz, Mark Karan and Barry Sless.

The show marked the first time Lesh, Weir and Hart had shared the stage since 2004, and was simulcast on the iClips Network.

Setlist

After a videotaped introduction by Barack Obama, the band played "Playing in the Band" into "Brown-Eyed Women", and continued the first set with other Grateful Dead staples "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo", "New Minglewood Blues", and a cover of "Come Together" by the Beatles.

A short speech by Phil Lesh was followed by a four-song acoustic second set, featuring more classic Dead songs like "Friend of the Devil" and "Deal". Then the band plugged in again to play an extended third set, including New Orleans classic "Iko Iko" (in honor of Mardi Gras), and ending with a reprise of the opener, "Playing in the Band", and an encore of "U.S. Blues".

The complete setlist was:

• First set: "Playing in the Band", "Brown-Eyed Women", "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo", "New Minglewood Blues", "Come Together"
• Second set (acoustic): "Deep Elem Blues", "Friend of the Devil", "Deal", "Ripple"
• Third set: "China Cat Sunflower", "The Wheel", "The Other One", "Sugaree", "Eyes of the World", "Throwing Stones", "Iko Iko", "Playing in the Band" reprise
• Encore: "U.S. Blues"

Second Concert

Lesh, Weir, and Hart have announced that they will be joined by former Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann for a second concert in support of Obama's presidential campaign, called "Change Rocks", on October 13, 2008, at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pennsylvania. They will be performing with members of the Allman Brothers Band as well.

Notes

References

• Tanner, Adam. "Grateful Dead, Deadheads reunite for Obama", Reuters, February 5, 2008
• Franke-Ruta, Garance. "Calif. Contest Leads to Battle of the Bands", Washington Post, February 2, 2008
• Melber, Ari. "Deadheads for Obama", The Nation, February 2, 2008
• Selvin, Joel. "Grateful Dead Bury Hatchet, Reunite for Obama", San Francisco Chronicle, February 5, 2008
• Selvin, Joel. "Grateful Dead Reunite for Barack Obama Benefit Show", Rolling Stone, February 5, 2008
• Liberatore, Paul. "How Grateful Dead Came Together Again for Obama Fundraiser", Marin Independent Journal, February 7, 2008
• Simon, Richard B. "Lesh Unites with Weir and Hart for Deadheads for Obama", Relix, February 5, 2008
• "Grateful Dead Reunite to Support Obama", New Musical Express, February 5, 2008
• Smith, Dakota. "Grateful Dead Reunite for Obama", NewsQuake, February 5, 2008
• "Deadheads for Obama", Jambase.com, February 4, 2008
• Deadheads for Obama on iClips

See also

• Deadhead
• Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
• List of Barack Obama presidential campaign endorsements

External links

• Deadheads for Obama - download at JamRadio.org