Song Review(s): Don Was & the Pan Detroit Ensemble with Tom Hamilton - “New Speedway Boogie” and “Cassidy” (Live, Jan. 14, 2026)
For Don Was, the obvious way to honor his fallen former Wolf Bro Bob Weir was to play his music.
And so, with Tom Hamilton guesting on vocals and lead acoustic guitar, Was and the Pan Detroit Ensemble performed Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie” and “Cassidy” in the style of Wolf Bros.
Pro-shot video of the Jan. 14 performances in Pennsylvania confirms Was’ wisdom in this approach.
While “Speedway” was relatively straightforward - as straightforward as acoustic guitar, double bass, drums, percussion and sax can be on a “Boogie” based on the Dead’s 1970 live arrangement - “Cassidy” took a a couple of glorious detours during its little walk in the woods.
The first turn off the beaten path came as Hamilton turned to face Was and the band skittered around the song’s contours. After a return to the vocals, the Joe Russo’s Almost Dead frontman led the Ensemble on a spiraling slingshot toward space before reeling the music back to the Earth Weir, who died Jan. 10, no longer walks.
Let the words be yours, I’m done with mine, Hamilton, back at the mic, sung.
Grade card: Don Was & the Pan Detroit Ensemble with Tom Hamilton - “New Speedway Boogie” and “Cassidy” (Live - 1/14/26) B+/A-
1/17/26
