I’ve seen Keller Williams live at least a half dozen times. Granted, it’s been a good 20 years, and there are times my younger self had a bit too much fun, and now I don’t necessarily remember the entire show (or even remember that I was there). What I do know is that his shows are always a good time. Friday’s Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2025) show at Beachland Ballroom was no different. Keller and his backing band, the Hillbenders, brought their own twists and turns to the familiar tunes from the Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, and some of Williams’ own.
The start of the show was unassuming enough. There was no opener, just Keller walking out barefoot like he has for 30 years. The band followed, including Jimmy Rea on guitar, Chad Graves on Dobro, and Gary Rea on upright bass. They went into an extended acoustic jam version of “Cumberland Blues” by the Grateful Dead. The night was off and running!
For nearly three decades, Keller has been a staple in the Jam band scene. He first rose to recognition in the late 90s for his signature solo acts, where he would use looping pedals to create entire songs in a one-man-band fashion. Since then, he’s worked with many collaborators, mainly in the bluegrass genre, so this current iteration feels like a good fit. Couple that with the music filled out by the Hillbenders’ signature sound, and it really works. You know most of the songs. Even if you didn’t know the Keller songs, it didn’t matter, as they all sort of flowed from one into another, and the jamming made it worthwhile.
The Hillbenders are known for their unique bluegrass sound, blending bluegrass and rock. They hit another level of popularity in the genre with their bluegrass version of The Who’s Tommy, so while they were performing backup for Keller Friday night, they are a respected act in their own right. They helped Keller with the heavy lifting of stage presence, a bag he is usually left carrying himself. The Rae brothers on bass and guitar played well off each other’s contagious energy, especially Jimmy. His solo work on the acoustic was something to marvel at. Missing from the Hillbenders lineup, however, was their mandolin player, replaced by Keller himself, and banjo, which was filled in by Chad Graves on double duty. Still, the band sounded great, especially in that packed venue, even if the dobro could have been turned up a bit in the mix. But Grave’s presence was still there, seeming to go into a trance when he soloed on the dobro.
After the opening Dead rendition came “Waiting” by Tom Petty and then “Super Hot” by Keller, the band transitioned between Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, and Keller songs with ease. As the name of the show, DeadPettyKellerGrass would suggest, they moved from one song to another seamlessly. At times, as if the medleys weren’t already stacked, Keller would sneak in other parts of songs, like lines from “Loser” by Beck at the opening and closing of “Loser” by The Grateful Dead.
As the night progressed, the band’s willingness to deviate from the familiar and embrace the unpredictable became the defining characteristic of the performance. Midway through the set, a beloved tune unexpectedly segued into the unknown. And so the night went, blending genres and artists into a hodge podge of progressive bluegrass.
If you’re going to a DeadPettyKellerGrass show to see Keller’s signature looping, however, there’s none of that, but you’ll still got some of his most popular songs like “Best Feeling,” “Kidney in a Cooler,” “Portapotty” and others. The band fills out the music instead of Keller by himself.
As someone who has seen him play those songs many times, I find it refreshing to see a new twist on some classics. Keller has been doing that since the beginning, morphing from one genre to another, releasing dance remixes, and partnering with other bands as far back as the 90s. He pioneered a sound, and that wasn’t enough for him. He is always changing and evolving. It’s somewhat surprising he isn’t playing larger venues. And if the packed house Friday night is any indicator, he very well could be. But the Beachland Ballroom is the perfect venue for this show. It’s intimate enough to get right up to the stage if you want, but big enough to have a full venue feeling. Several attendees commented on how good the band sounded in that particular venue. DeadPettyKellerGrass delivered what they set out to: an improvisational blending of some beloved favorites, proving he still has what it takes to jam, whether by himself or as part of an ensemble.
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