Dead Ahead Night One: Neal Francis Solo Set Featuring Grace Bowers, Oteil & Friends Pay Homage to Jerry Garcia Band and More

Photo: Marc Millman

Dead Ahead, the destination concert vacation, started its programming last night, Thursday, Jan. 9, 202, at Moon Palace in Cancun, Mexico. Neal Francis led the opening entertainment, which preluded Oteil & Friends’ highly anticipated festival sets, including one that celebrated the music of the Jerry Garcia Band. 

Notably, Francis officially released the latest single off his forthcoming third studio album, Return to Zero, yesterday, Jan. 9, which presented an opportune moment to debut “What’s Left of Me” in front of a live audience. Fellow event participant/ guitar prodigy Grace Bowers joined Francis for a song, bringing to light the best feature of Dead Ahead: the collaborative nature of the experience. 

As for the ensuing Burbridge-led frame, the bassist used the latter half of his initial festival frame to run through a series of Garcia-related classics, from an interpretation of Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come” to follow-up “Run for the Roses” and Lee Dorsey original turned Garcia Band co-opted “Get Out of My Life.” “Lay Down Sally” emerged next before another band favorite, this time “Cats Under the Stars.”

Burbridge’s JGB set continued stalled after an interpretation of the Bob Dylan scribed “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” only to kick back in full throttle with the encore arrival of “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” and closer, “Evangeline.” 

Music will pick back up today with a frame from Joe Russo’s Almost Dead guitarist, Tom Hamilton, followed by the initial Dead Ahead sets on the Main Stage from Bobby Weir, Sturgill Simpson, Goose’s Rick Mitaronda, Jeff Chimenti, Burbridge, Don Was and Jay Lane, and featured guests Brittany Spencer, Bowers and Brandi Carlile. Closing out night two is Francis, returning for his second solo set. 

For more information, including the Dead Ahead Festival daily schedule, visit this link.