Woody Harrelson — While High on Mushrooms — Almost Ruined a Grateful Dead Concert by Sitting on a Keyboard

Mar. 15, 2025

Woody Harrelsonalmost ruined aGrateful Deadconcert in a hilarious way.

During a Monday, Feb. 24 appearance onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert, theLast Breathactor revealed how he found himself “jamming” with the Grateful Dead, of which he considers himself an “honorary member.”

Harrelson’s favorite memory of the band was when he went to his first show in northern California with a friend who knew the Dead. “We imbibed some fungi and were like, hanging out,” he recalled, adding that he got some time to chat with the band between sets.

“We go back to talk to everybody back there and, before you know it, I’m meeting the Dead. We chat for a minute and then they’re like, ‘We gotta get out there.’ " After a brief conversation with Jerry Garcia about the “universe expanding,” the Dead returned to the stage.

Woody Harrelson; the Grateful Dead.Kate Green/Getty; Tim Mosenfelder/Getty

Kate Green/Getty; Tim Mosenfelder/Getty

“Well, I think to myself, ‘Kinda genius!’ " the actor noted, thinking it was a musical moment.

Woody Harrelson and Stephen Colbert on Feb. 24, 2025.Scott Kowalchyk/CBS

Scott Kowalchyk/CBS

Unbeknownst to a tripping Harrelson, he had sat on a keyboard. Roadies were yelling and cursing at him to get off the instrument.

“Bruce goes, ‘Woody, you’re sitting on a live MIDI!’ Which is a keyboard,' " Harrelson continued. Colbert joked that Harrelson was doing an “ass solo” for the band’s gig.

“That was my first experience with them,” the actor joked. “I jammed with the Dead.”

The Grateful Dead in February 1970.Robert Altman/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Robert Altman/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Weeks prior, theTrue Detectivestar had attended the MusiCares Person of the Year concert that paid tribute to the Dead in Los Angeles in late January, perTheHollywood Reporter.

He called founding band member Bob Weir “one of the most interesting, electric, spiritually deep people on the planet, and not a bad musician.”

Harrelson’s new movie,Last Breath, premieres in theaters on Friday, Feb. 28.

source: people.com