Photos by Ryan Swerdlin, Recap by Max Stewart

Los Angeles-based Grateful Shred played alongside Circles Around the Sun in Atlanta for a superb double bill on Saturday night at Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse. Grateful Shred’s lineup features Dan Horne and Austin McCutchen alongside keyboardist Adam MacDougall, Austine Beede, Alex Koford, Zeph Ohora, John Lee Shannon, and singer Mikaela Davis. They have a very unique and laid-back approach to the Dead catalog that must be seen to be appreciated. We think they are as close to a 1976-1977 Dead sound as we have heard from any band out there. The setlist featured some deep cuts including a cover of Little Feat’s “Easy to Slip” and Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee”, and a rousing “One More Saturday Night” encore.

Packed in between Grateful Shred sets and featuring some similar members, instrumental supergroup Circles Around the Sun recently returned with their new album, Language. As their website states, “Synth-drenched excursions into outer-spatial sound design, the six-song release welcomes guitarist John Lee Shannon to the fold, a longtime peer and tourmate who joins bassist Dan Horne, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, and drummer Mark Levy.” Their live vibe is totally captivating and draws the listener in, a perfect slice of meat to be sandwiched between two Grateful Shred sets. This double bill was a high time for fans of ethereal sounds intermixed with the catalog of the Dead.