Dead and Company played two at Alpine Valley this year with the second show having one of the few guests that Dead & Co have invited to play with them. Just Vernon, primary songwriter and frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver joined Dead and Co near the end of their first set for the last three songs.

The reviews are in for Justin’s sit in and they are mixed. While a lot of fans panned the sit-in as the “worst sit-in,” there were fans who thought it was amazing. Someone went as far as updating Vernon’s wikipedia page citing this show as the worst in Dead & Co’s history. Ugh.

I personally find it difficult to question Mayer and Weir’s choice of guests and am willing to give the sit-in a few more listens to grow on me. I thought the “Black Muddy River” was actually quite beautiful. Give it a listen and decide for yourself.

The other setlist notation is from the second set “Sugar Magnolia” closer. After some equipment issues, Bobby and the microphone duked it out. Looks like Bobby won.

Set 1: [8:33-9:43] Music Never Stopped (8:55)
Easy Answers (10:51)
Alabama Getaway (5:01)
Big River (7:28)
Jack Straw (9:43)
Black Muddy River* (8:06)
Friend of the Devil* (7:38)
Bird Song* (17:54)

Set 2: [10:22-12:14] The Weight (9:27)
Shakedown Street (16:30)
Althea (12:12)
China Cat Sunflower (9:45)
I Know You Rider (11:45)
Drums (9:06)
Space (9:07)
All Along The Watchtower (9:54)
Standing on the Moon (9:03)
Sugar Magnolia! (12:37)

Encore [12:15-12:23] One More Saturday Night (6:48$

with Justin Vernon
! with Angry Bobby

Thanks to tyedyejon/taperjon for the recording.

Photo credit: Katie Friesema