Warren Haynes reveals “Shakedown Street” orchestra arrangement
Warren Haynes has released a new live recording of “Shakedown Street,” offering fans another preview of his upcoming symphonic album, Dreams & Songs.
The track, a reimagined orchestral version of the Grateful Dead classic, follows the recent release of Gov’t Mule’s “Banks of the Deep End” from the same project. An official release date and pre-order information for Dreams & Songs have not yet been announced.
Recorded in 2019 at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Haynes’ hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, Dreams & Songs captures the debut performance of his Dreams & Songs symphonic show. The concert featured Haynes alongside the 64-piece Asheville Symphony Orchestra and a backing band that included bassist Oteil Burbridge, keyboardist John Medeski, drummer Jeff Sipe, saxophonist Greg Osby, and background vocalists Edwin McCain and Jasmine Muhammad.
“‘Shakedown Street’ is a really powerful orchestrated arrangement that enhances the power of the original, which I played and sang a ton of times with those guys through the years, especially with Phil Lesh and Friends, but with The Dead as well,” shares Haynes. “It’s a very danceable song. A lot of people just focus on the groove and get lost in the rhythmic quality of it. The orchestra forces you to pay attention to it in a different way. It’s very dark and powerful and, I think, very effective. This song goes back to the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration, which was my first experience with an orchestra. That’s kind of what started this whole journey for me, which is still going on.”
The 16-track collection spans Haynes’ extensive career, featuring material from Gov’t Mule, the Allman Brothers Band, The Dead, his solo catalog, and more.
Haynes will bring his Dreams & Songs Symphonic Experience to Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center for two performances on March 11 and 12, 2027. Presented by Lightning 100, the concerts will feature John Medeski, Kevin Scott, Terence Higgins, Greg Osby, vocalists Saundra Williams and Mayteana Morales, and conductor Rich Daniels of the Chicago City Lights Orchestra.
In the meantime, Haynes remains active with Gov’t Mule. The band is currently preparing for its summer Kicking In Your Stall Tour, followed by a co-headlining run with Joe Bonamassa from July 22 through August 23. Gov’t Mule will also embark on the newly announced Dreaming The Same Dream Tour with Ziggy Marley this fall. The 16-date outing begins September 23 in New York City and concludes October 17 in Dallas.
Additionally, Haynes is scheduled to perform a special set at the Hudson River Music Festival in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, on June 21 alongside Grahame Lesh and Daniel Donato.
Dreams & Songs Track Listing
Dreams and Songs (Part One)
Dreams
Banks of the Deep End
Spots of Time
Broken Promised Land
Thorazine Shuffle
Makes No Difference
Terrapin Station
Raven Black Night
Just Another Rider
Black Peter
Instrumental Illness
One
Shakedown Street
Whipping Post
Dreams and Songs (Reprise)
