By the time Feel Like a Stranger comes out, the crowd is on notice. It might be the first show of the year, but the band is bringing the energy. And it is in the Franklin’s Tower immediately after that Brent puts his first big imprint on the show, creating a sort of weird arcade-like sound that is mesmerizing. The Little Red Rooster that comes next gets down and dirty with rich, layered jams with Jerry, Brent, and Bobby just going off. Althea is always a treat, and this one is no slouch before the first ever We Can Run. Whether you think of the tune as preachy or as an anthem, you cannot deny that Brent is putting his heart and soul into it on this inaugural go round. Bobby turns to Desolation Row, afterwards, marking the Dylan tune’s first appearance since MSG back in September. And then a short and sweet Don’t Ease Men In finishes off the early going.

The Cold Rain and Snow is a solid way to start the second set, and it leads to a feisty Man Smart Woman Smarter that Brent stokes into a euphoric, dancing release. Then the energy shifts as we get the first Standing On The Moon. At the outset, Jerry is almost hesitant, and it takes a bit before the full rapture of the tune arrives. But arrive it does, making for a beautiful and, as always, quite moving segment. The Playin’ that comes next is a little ragged, but no less joyous with a somewhat discordant jam on the backside leading to Drums. Brent comes out the other end with I Will Take You Home, delivered in as fervidly earnest a manner as ever. Next, a nice He’s Gone and fun Miracle bring us to a masterful, if ever so slightly restrained, Morning Dew. Yet nothing is restrained about the buoyant energy of the Johnny B. Goode encore.

All told, the show is a promising start to what would be a pretty damn good year.