Railroad Earth anchored the first-ever Hangtown Halloween Ball over the weekend at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville, CA. In addition to RRE, the funky Meters, 7 Walkers, Jackie Greene, David Grisman Sextet, Melvin Seals & JGB, Zach Deputy and Poor Man’s Whiskey were among the acts on the bill. Music began on Thursday night when Railroad Earth performed a live score to the silent film horror classic Nosferatu. The group then delivered two sets apiece on Friday and Saturday. The Friday show saw Bill Kreutzmann appear on a second drum kit early in the second set for Railroad Earth’s “Elko” and then the Grateful Dead’s “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleoo.” A bit later the set closed out with RRE’s “Bird in a House,” which saw Elephant Revival’s Bonnie Paine, Daniel Rodriguez and Bridget Law all guest on the tune. The next night Railroad Earth delivered two extended sets without additional musicians, blending originals such as “Long Way To Go,” “Lone Croft Farewell,” and “Like a Buddha” with new covers of Peter Rowan’s “Pulling the Devil by the Tail” as well as the version of the traditional “Gallows Pole,” arranged by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant for Led Zeppelin.

Railroad Earth begins a new tour on Wednesday, November 9 at The Canopy Club in Urbana, IL.