Gillian Welch & David Rawlings - Fox Theater, Oakland, California, April 18, 2026

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings - Fox Theater, Oakland, California, April 18, 2026Gillian Welch and David Rawlings took their Dead set on the road over the past several weeks — and by my reckoning, it was amazing. Even better than I expected, and my expectations were high! These shows were a perfect synthesis of the Welch / Rawlings sound and the Dead repertoire, performances that felt joyous and celebratory without just being total nostalgia trips. Gillian and David (with bassist Paul Kowert in tow) also managed to deliver what I imagine is the only Dead tribute that Jerry Garcia himself might’ve enjoyed. No mean feat! Of course, I’m just going by the various tapes that have emerged so far. Tapers, I thank you — especially Joel, who flew out to the Bay Area to record the Oakland show. The whole thing sparkles, capturing the communal spirit of the evening in high quality. In keeping with the Dead approach, these are long, two-set affairs; and also in keeping with the Dead, it all just…