High Time Run-Through Grateful Dead Classics at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl

On Sunday, Nov. 19, New York’s Brooklyn Bowl played host to High Time, one of the burrow’s own and well-respected Grateful Dead cover bands. High Time played their second show in their residency at Brooklyn Bowl, which will see them return for a final stand in December. The performance on Sunday was amplified by a collaboration with Macrodose Liquid Light Show, who added live psychedelic visuals to the set.

The band began the show with a version of “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” before a transition (that also served as a way to level out the sound mix) brought the band into a spacey iteration of “Playing In The Band.” Guitarist Pete Tonti led the initial songs of the night before the band followed up with “Scarlet Begonias,” sung by fellow guitarist Michael O’Neill.

This rendition ended with an intense outro jam of “Unbroken Chain” before the band brought it back to “Scarlet Begonias” and ended the tune with its iconic riff. 

Bassist James Preston was the next vocal-led, tapping into the emotive sting of their “Row Jimmy” cover. A lengthy, jammed-out rendition of the rarity “Alligator” arrived before the cover band merged into the final song of the frame, a straightforward play of “Me and My Uncle.”

High Time reenergized the audience upon their return to the stage with a spirited performance of “St. Stephen.” Fixed to a smooth transition, the band soon began  “The Eleven,’ one of the night’s standout performances. Totti and pianist Kevin Uelingher had impressive interplay during the tune, with Uelingher playing bright piano fills underneath Totti’s extensive solo. 

Another impressive transition brought the band to “Sitting On Top Of The World,” which was essentially used as an extended intro for jam-catalyst “Dark Star.” The next tune, “Bird Song,” saw the band make what is usually a contemplative presentation into an uptempo, joyful soar. A funky version of “They Love Each Other” emerged before impressive bass playing by Preston on “China Cat Sunflower” and its sister tune “I Know You Rider,” marking the end of the second set. 

For their encore, the band ended with an upbeat jam over “Going Down The Road Feeling Bad” before unexpectedly going into an acapella rendition of the famed showender “We Bid You Goodnight.” The band will return to the Brooklyn Bowl on Dec. 17 to play the final show of their residency.

Watch videos from Sunday’s show below, and scroll down to view High Time’s setlist.

High Time

Brooklyn Bowl – Brooklyn, N.Y.

Nov. 19, 2023

Set I: Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo, Playing In the Band, Tennessee Jed, Scarlet Begonias [1], Row Jimmy, Alligator, Me and My Uncle

Set II: St. Stephen, The Eleven, Sitting On Top Of The World, Dark Star, Bird Song, They Love Each Other [2], China Cat Sunflower, I Know You Rider

Encore: Going Down the Road Feeling Bad, We Bid You Goodnight

[1] w/ “Unbroken Chain” jam

[2] 1973 version w/ “Finders Keepers” jam