Photo: Geoff Tischman

Last night, March 16, Grahame Lesh & Friends reemerged on the famed Capitol Theatre stage for the third installment of Unbroken Chain: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Phil Lesh. Sunday’s concert brought forth another round of thoughtful homages to the late Grateful Dead bassist, including rarities that nodded to different moments of Lesh’s precocious career. 

Whereas the initial two nights of music stayed relatively consistent with core players, Sunday’s lineup brought forth a seizable shift, with the arrival of Jackie Green, Larry Campbell, Steve Molitz, Teresa Williams, special guests Adam McDougall, Karl Denson, and Tom Hamilton joining host Grahame and consistent musical accomplices throughout the weekend, backbeat John Molo and bassist Brian Rashap, who turned up on the nights before along with Phil’s original instrument, Big Brown.

Night three found its musical footing during the onset of fan favorite “China Cat Sunflower,” lyrically led by a bandana-clad Green, who co-opted Robert Hunter’s poetics and instrumentally supported by a stage full of amalgamated talent–particularly Denson, whose saxophone livened up concert’s jumping off point. Rather than position its sister tune, “I Know You Rider,” next, the band kept the number waiting for a later entry; instead, they opted for “Deep Elem Blues,” which highlighted the husband and wife might that is Campbell and Williams. 

“Here Comes Sunshine” got a special dose of whimsy with the addition of a flute, exhibited by Denson. The instrumental addition was layered atop guitar, bass, drums, and keys, generating a musical escape for close-eyed guests accepting the current of the night’s ebb and flow. Back to traditionals, the group conjured “Sitting on Top of the World” before Lesh & Friends rarity, a cover of Hot Tuna’s soulful “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning.” 

Hamilton took the stage in time to lead the lines on “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” which found Campbell on complimentary violin for a ricochet of strings considering the present guitars and bass. After crossing the Rio Grand-eo, the ensemble picked up one final song being set break, a fiery rendition of Jerry Garcia’s “Sugaree.” 

Set two ascended from the start, partly due to the song choice, barnburner “Shakedown Street,” which found the band noodling to the point of recognizability from the jump–reaching spacey territory before clicking into the composition. Considering the rarity of Phil’s lyrical lead, “Pride of Cucamonga” arrived as a thoughtful addition to the concert tapestry, nodding to the bassist’s From the Mars Hotel contribution, which glimmered with instrumental breakdowns before leaping into “Truckin’.” 

After the city namin’ spree, the ensemble returned to “Cucamonga” before Campbell picked up Levon Helm’s original “When I Go Away.” Campbell covered the song with Phil & Friends in 2013, making its arrival a thoughtful nod to the occassion’s honoree. “So Many Roads” brought an air of reflection that evoked memories of concerts past before turning up the tempo with the arrival of “Cosmic Charlie.” 

In the most thoughtful format, the group sandwiched the night between the first set’s start, “China Set Sunflower,” and the second set’s final song, “I Know You Rider. ” Folding each end and presenting them as separated sister tunes that nodded to Grateful Dead tradition. Before the onset of music during the concert encore, Grahame reminded attendees about the importance of organ donation and what that gift gave Phil and us as fans before the final songs: “Sugar Magnolia” and “Sunshine Daydream.” 

With night three in the books, Grahame Lesh & Friends will return to the Capitol Theatre tonight for one final Unbroken Chain: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Phil Lesh event. Tickets remain on sale. For those interested in streaming from home, visit nugs.net 

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Grahame Lesh & Friends 

The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, N.Y. 

March 16, 2025 

Set I: China Cat Sunflower, Deep Elem Blues, Here Comes Sunshine, Sitting on Top of the World, Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Sugaree

Set II: Shakedown Street, Pride of Cucamonga, Truckin’, Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks), Pride of Cucamonga, When I Go Away, So Many Roads, Cosmic Charlie, I Know You Rider 

Enc.: Sugar Magnolia, Sunshine Daydream