Article Contributed by Scott Kepnes
Published on 2026-09-21
“One of the most special times of my life…the Neville brothers traveling with the Grateful Dead.”
—Cyril Neville, The Cabot, 9/11/26
The Cabot Theater in Beverly, MA, burst with musical energy Friday, September 11, 2026, moving and grooving to the New Orleans power-funk take on the music of the Grateful Dead with “Cyril Neville Plays The Dead.”
An excited and appreciative audience filled the well-attended 850-capacity venue. The evening included renditions of Grateful Dead originals and covers often played by the Dead, songs from the Neville catalogue, and tunes that matched the spirit of the evening.
Led by the legendary percussionist/vocalist Cyril Neville—the Uptown Ruler (Neville Brothers, The Meters)—Cyril was joined by his son Omari “The Downtown Groover” Neville (drums/vocals), Gregg “Shotgun” Molinario (guitar), Bradford “Brad” Lewis II (guitar), Austin Clements (bass) and Anuraag “Anu” Pendyal (organ/keys).
From the opening number of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away,” the band filled the theater with high-energy funk, soul, and blues that shook the orchestra up to the balcony. The sound provided by The Cabot was excellent and good vibes were plentiful.
Following “Not Fade Away,” the band continued to soar with New Orleans-Bo Diddley rhythms, launching into “Iko Iko” and “Man Smart, Woman Smarter,” aka “The Women Are Smarter.”
By now, the theater felt transformed into a Friday night New Orleans dance party, and it was apparent that something special was happening. Cyril’s infectious energy and dancing on stage naturally drew the audience in. Whether sitting or standing, fans were moving to the percussive rhythms—bones were shaking and hands were clapping along.
The celebration continued with The Meters’ “They All Ask’d for You” (The Audubon Zoo Song), with its playful lyrics:
“I went on down to the Audubon Zoo, and they all ask’d for you.
The monkeys ask’d, the tigers ask’d and the elephant ask’d me too.”
The band then segued into Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya” before coming back into “Not Fade Away.”
Next came a powerful “Scarlet Begonias” into “Fire on the Mountain.”
Following “Scarlet/Fire” came Cyril Neville’s “Reggae From New Orleans,” featured on his album Live at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Professor Longhair’s “Tipitina” followed.
The first set wrapped up with the iconic Garcia/Hunter-penned “Touch of Grey.” The energy became climactic as the audience sang the chorus in unison with Cyril—“We will survive…”—the charismatic band leader shouting, “Somebody scream!”—and the entire room erupted.
The Uptown Ruler then asked, “How you all feelin’?”—connecting with the audience and setting up the enthusiastic crowd for an invigorating second set.
After a brief intermission, the band opened the second set with “West L.A. Fadeaway” before moving into the blues classic “The Thrill Is Gone.”
Following that came the Neville Brothers’ “Brother Jake.”
The audience was then treated to a powerful “Sugaree” and “Deep Elem Blues,” aka “Deep Ellum Blues.”
The song that closed the set was the title track from Cyril’s 2026 release, “Don’t Wait Til I’m Gone.”
“Give me my flowers while I can still smell em’.
Hear my stories while I can still tell em’
Give me my medals while I can wear em’
Don’t wait ‘til I’m gone.”
A standing ovation was followed by an encore of the Grateful Dead’s “Truckin’,” electrifying the audience and concluding a fantastic evening of music.
Cyril and the band members greeted fans after the show, making the experience feel even more personable and connected to the audience.
One of the highlights of the evening was watching Cyril and his son Omari interact on stage. The two Nevilles repeatedly expressed pride and love on stage, connecting with each other—the joy expressed by father and son was endearing and a tribute to the family legacy.
In addition to backing Cyril, Omari Neville & The Fuel (Omari Neville, Gregg Molinario, Austin Clements, Anuraag Pendyal) released their debut album Voodoo this year, which is available on all streaming platforms. You can check out the band website at omarinevilleandthefuel.com.
Cyril’s recent release Don’t Wait Til I’m Gone is also available on all streaming platforms. Visit Cyril Neville, the Uptown Ruler website at cyrilnevillemusic.com.
On a personal note—somehow, I had never seen any of the Neville Brothers live. I went into the show not exactly knowing what to expect, and I was truly blown away.
This was an amazing and unique celebration of The Dead’s music, as well as the roots and history of the percussive rhythms that make up so much of that music.
This is as real as it gets.
