Late Sunday night, The Young Lawyers for Obama hosted the Red Goes Blue Inaugural Bash at the Old Ebbitt Grill, an infamous Washington, DC restaurant and political clubhouse. The evenings confirmed entertainment included performances by rising stars Jackie Greene and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, as well as hors d’oeuvres and a full open bar. As some had hoped, Phil Lesh and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti were both in attendance and, at one point, took the stage with Greene for a version of the Grateful Deads Sugaree. The singer/songwriter has been a member of Leshs Phil & Friends group since 2007.

When asked about the Grateful Dead community by Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools in the February/March issue of Relix, Lesh remarked, Its not just the music. I mean, look what Obama did. Its a seed of a community of various types. He also used a question pertaining to Obamas belief in a team of rivals to riff on the current state of American politics. [The idea of a consensus has] been lost, it really has, with all this ideological culture war bullshit, Lesh says. And thats why I always say theres nothing more American than The Grateful Dead.
The Dead are slated to perform at the Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball this evening. The group will then kick off an extended tour at Greensboro, NCs Greensboro Coliseum on April 12.