Image via YouTube.

On Saturday, Jan. 27, The Infamous Stringdusters blew through Denver’s Mission Ballroom with support from Lindsay Lou and her band. For this fifth stop in its Ski Dust Tour, the ensemble welcomed Lou to the stage for a roaring bluegrass treatment of “Respect,” Otis Redding’s 1965 soul standard canonized by Aretha Franklin in 1967. As this massive three-hour show streamed live, fans can watch a professional recording of the memorable cover now via YouTube.

The Infamous Stringdusters started the show with “Sirens,” off its 2017 album Laws of Gravity, which led into “Planets” and “As It Was,” the group’s latest single released last July. To continue, the band brought back “Country Fool” from its 2007 debut Fork in the Road, then played “Long Time Going” before welcoming opener Lou and bandmembers–including Mimi Naja of Fruition–to the stage for a debut rendition of the Queen of Soul’s classic “Respect.” The group then closed the first set with “I’m Not Alone” from its most recent full-length album Toward the Fray, followed by fan-favorite “Colorado” and finally the yet unreleased live standard “Back Home Again,” wrapping with a barn-burning jam.

After a brief intermission, the band returned for the second set with “I’d Rather Be Alone,” from the quintet’s 2023 EP Tribute to Flatt & Scruggs, paired with “My Sweet Blue Eyed Darling” from its 2021 album A Tribute to Bill Monroe. Next came more Flatt & Scruggs genre standards “Polka on the Banjo” and “Down the Road,” the latter of which was also featured on the Group’s 2023 tribute, preceding “Black Elk,” “All the Same,” and “Rise Sun.” The band then performed its classic “Tragic Life,” which led into the Grateful Dead’s “Dark Star,” “If You’re Gonna Love Someone” and the band’s popular 2014 release “Let it Go.” To conclude the second set, the band presented its acclaimed cover of the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” recorded on its 2017 Undercover, Vol. 2 EP, followed by its iconic first single “Fork in the Road” and a final encore of “One More Bridge.”

Watch The Infamous Stringdusters’ full performance at the Mission Ballroom below; its “Respect” cover begins at 46:29. The band will perform again tonight, Jan. 31, at The Commonwealth Room in Salt Lake City, followed by three more performances in its Ski Dust Tour through the Mountain Region on Feb. 1-3. For tickets and information on further engagements, visit thestringdusters.com.

The Infamous Stringdusters
The Mission Ballroom – Denver
Jan. 27, 2024

Set I: Sirens > Planets > As It Was > Country Fool > Long Time Going > Respect* > I’m Not Alone > Colorado > Back Home Again
Set II: I’d Rather Be Alone+ > My Sweet Blue Eyed Darling% > Polka on the Banjo+ > Down the Road+ > Black Elk > All the Same > Rise Sun > Tragic Life > Dark Star! > If You’re Gonna Love Someone > Let it Go > Just Like Heaven^ > Fork in the Road
Encore: One More Bridge

Notes:
* debut cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect”
+ cover, Flatt & Scruggs
% cover, Bill Monroe
! cover, the Grateful Dead
^ cover, the Cure

Setlist via nugs.net