I guess I was very lucky - I caught the Shoreline Dead & Co. show - I have heard people say they can't hear Bobby, that Oteil was muddy in the mix, that it was too quiet, that John Mayer sucks, etc. - but where I was sitting (in the shed, probably 10-15 rows in front of the lawn, stage right) - it sounded amazing! Oteil was bubbling around underneath, providing the groove that the slow tempos seem to mask, with the perfect high end to reveal the harmony he was outlining. I know John Mayer was a dick 5-6 years ago, but I thought his playing was great and his singing beautiful. And I could hear what Mr. Weir was doing, different sounds throughout the show, perfect in the mix, borne out by the mp3.
There was an aspect of this tour, too, where it was put together rather late in the game - for instance, only one night at Shoreline, because the place was already booked with Korn/Rob Zombie the night before and Weezer/Panic! at the Disco the following night. It seems like it was a band that grew together on the road -
John Mayer said "To learn each others’ moves as people and musicians, so as to support each other on stage and off made every night a beautiful adventure." So I can see the pedalboards growing and developing throughout the tour too.
And thank you Brad for the insight into Mr. Bob Weir's playing and gear - my appreciation for his playing and approach has grown over the years of listening to recordings and watching videos - it was very cool to see him do it in person!