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Dead & Company

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Dead & Company is an American rock band that formed in 2015 with a lineup of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir (guitar and vocals), Mickey Hart (drums), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums), along with John Mayer (guitar and vocals), Oteil Burbridge (bass, percussion, and vocals), and Jeff Chimenti (keyboards).[1][2][3][4] Jay Lane replaced Kreutzmann on drums in 2023.

Dead & Company
Dead & Company at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, in June 2017. Left to right: John Mayer, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart. Not pictured: Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti.
Background information
Genres
Years active2015 – present
Spinoff of
Members
Past members

Dead & Company primarily perform Grateful Dead covers and is credited with popularizing Grateful Dead music to a younger audience.[5] In 2023, Lane replaced Kreutzmann as the band's second drummer for their final tour.[6] Their final tour was attended by over 840,000 fans, with the final show taking place in San Francisco, the birthplace of the Grateful Dead.[7]

At the tour's conclusion, John Mayer reassured fans that "Dead & Company is still a band," but the timing of future shows was uncertain.[8] Several months later, the band began a residency at Sphere in the Las Vegas Valley consisting of 30 shows from May to August 2024.[9][10]

History

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Mayer recounts that in 2011 he was listening to Pandora and happened upon the song "Althea" by the Grateful Dead from their 1980 album Go to Heaven. Impressed by the song, Mayer soon was exploring the Grateful Dead's music and felt creatively invigorated by Jerry Garcia's "phenomenally talented" musicianship to improve his own guitar playing.[11]

In February 2015, while Mayer was guest hosting The Late Late Show, he invited Grateful Dead guitar player Bob Weir to join him in a studio performance. A bond developed between the two, and while Weir and the other three surviving core members of the Grateful Dead were preparing for their 50th anniversary shows, dubbed Fare Thee Well, Mayer began practicing the band's large catalog of songs. That August, Mayer and original Grateful Dead members Weir, Hart, and Kreutzmann formed the band, along with keyboardist Jeff Chimenti (Furthur, RatDog) and bassist Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers Band, Aquarium Rescue Unit). Mayer expressed a particularly strong enthusiasm toward playing with the new band.[12][13]

Phil Lesh, the bassist for the Grateful Dead, did not join Dead & Company. Instead he continued to perform with his band Phil Lesh and Friends.[14][15] Mike Gordon of Phish was pursued for the bassist role but had to withdraw due to being too busy with other matters.[12]

2015

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Dead & Company initially announced only one concert date on October 31, 2015, at Madison Square Garden in New York, but announced a full tour, starting on October 29, shortly afterwards.[16] The shows were called "magical" (Billboard) and the tour was very well received.[17]

 
Dead & Company at Madison Square Garden in New York City, on November 1, 2015

Following the band's final 2015 performance on December 31, 2015, Mayer told fans that they could expect more Dead & Company concerts in 2016, and this was confirmed by Weir when he was interviewed on Periscope.[18] The band initially had one performance confirmed for 2016 at the Bonnaroo Music Festival[19] but announced a full summer tour on February 8, 2016.[17][20] On February 18, 2016, the band performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to promote the tour.[21]

2016

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In 2016, Mayer and Weir expressed strong optimism about the band's future, including the possibility of new studio recordings. Mayer said he "will never close the door on Dead & Company, ever."[22] Weir spoke of a "cosmic, out-of-body vision" he had, and a subsequent dream, of the band continuing for decades hence:

We were playing...and suddenly I was viewing this from about 20 feet behind my head, and I looked over at John from that point of view and it was 20 years later and John was almost fully gray. I looked over at Oteil and his hair was white. I looked over to my left and Jeff's hair was all gray." [Then, looking to where he, Hart and Kreutzmann would be playing,]  "it was new guys, younger guys holding forth, doing a great job...playing with fire and aplomb....It changed my whole view of what it is that we're up to. I find myself wondering, 'Well, what are they gonna be saying about this new approach or this honoring of this tradition? What are they gonna be saying about that in 200 or 300 years at the Berklee School of Music?' That's the kind of stuff that goes through my head now because this legacy here, there's a chance now that they'll be talking about us in years to come. So I find it incumbent on myself to think in those terms.[22]

When Dead & Company played their first festival performance at the 2016 Bonnaroo Music Festival, former Grateful Dead vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux sat in with the band for several songs. She joined the band again for their shows at Citi Field in Flushing, NY on June 25 and 26, 2016, and at Fenway Park in Boston, MA on July 15 and 16, 2016.

2017

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On December 1, 2016, Dead & Company officially announced their 2017 Summer Tour.[23] The tour began on May 27, 2017, and wrapped up on July 1, 2017. The tour consisted of 20 shows in 15 cities.

In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, Phil Lesh praised the band's performances, saying "I think they're doing a great job. They're bringing the music to the people just like we always wanted to do, and I commend them for it. I hope they're having a good time. It's not something I could do myself. I'm done with that kind of touring."[24]

On September 7, 2017, Dead & Company officially announced their Fall Tour 2017.[25] The tour began on November 12, 2017, and was scheduled to wrap up on December 8, 2017. However, on December 5, Mayer was hospitalized for an emergency appendectomy, which postponed the New Orleans show that night. Dead & Company subsequently postponed the remaining tour dates, rescheduling them in February, following several independent shows in Mexico. The Fall Tour consisted of 16 shows in 14 cities.

2018

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On May 30, 2018, the band began their 2018 summer tour, originally set to end on July 14[26] but extended to include two shows at the Lockn' Festival on August 25 and 26.[27][28] On February 15, 17 and 18, 2018, the band kicked off their inaugural Playing In The Sand concerts at the Barceló Maya resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico.[29]

2019

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Dead & Company logo

From May 31 to July 6, the band played their 2019 Summer Tour. They performed 19 concerts at 14 locations across the U.S.[30][31] The band played a short fall tour in New York City on October 31 and November 1 followed by 2 shows at Uniondale's Nassau Coliseum on November 5 and 6. They then moved south to Hampton, Virginia on November 8 and 9.[32] On December 27 and 28, they played at The Forum in Inglewood (Los Angeles), California as part of their "Fun Run" tour. On December 30 and 31, they played in their hometown of San Francisco at the Chase Center, featuring a bi-plane that descended from the ceiling of the Chase Center carrying the daughters of Jerry Garcia, Trixie Garcia and her half-sister, Ken Kesey's daughter Sunshine Kesey, dropping rose petals on the audience as they toured the arena.[33][34]

2020

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In January 2020, Dead & Company played three concerts as part of the "Playing in the Sand" event at the Moon Palace resort in Cancún, Mexico.[35] The band planned on performing at New Orleans Jazz Fest[36] and to embark on a 2020 Summer Tour, consisting of 17 dates at 14 locations from July 10 to August 8, all of which were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[37]

2021

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The band played a national tour in August through October 2021.[38][39] Jay Lane joined Dead & Company as stand-in drummer while Bill Kreutzmann recovered from a respiratory illness for their October 19 and 20, 2021 shows at Red Rocks in Morrison, CO, their October 22 and 23 shows at Fiddler's Green in Greenwood Village, CO, and their October 31 show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.[40][41]

2022

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Dead & Company at Wrigley Field in Chicago in 2022

Dead & Company were scheduled to play six concerts – on January 7, 9, 10, 13, 15, and 16 – at the Playing in the Sand festival at the Moon Palace resort in Cancun. However, on January 6 the shows were cancelled due to a surge in cases of COVID-19.[42][43]

In June and July 2022, the band played a 20-concert summer tour with only one concert being cancelled at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY due to emergency health concerns with Mayer's father.[44][45][46]

2023

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The band continued their tradition of "Playing in the Sand" shows at a resort in Cancún from January 14 to 17, 2023.[47][48]

On September 23, 2022, the band announced that their Summer 2023 concert series would be their final tour.[49] On October 6, 2022, they revealed the tour schedule, to run from May 19 through July 16, 2023.[50][51] On April 22, 2023, it was announced by the band that Kreutzmann would not be performing or touring with Dead & Company during their final tour, due to a "shift in creative direction".[52]

On May 6, 2023, Dead & Company performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, with Jay Lane replacing Bill Kreutzmann in the lineup.[53] On May 8 the band played at Barton Hall in Ithaca, New York, the 46th anniversary of the Grateful Dead's May 8, 1977 concert at that venue.[54] On May 19 they played the first concert of their spring and summer tour.[55] On July 16, 2023, Dead and Company played the final show of the tour.

In an interview with ABC published on June 22, 2023, Hart left the door open for future Dead & Company shows, explaining, "It's not final anything. We never said we'll never play again, but we'll never tour again."[56]

2024

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In February 2024, the band announced they would be performing a concert residency at Sphere in the Las Vegas Valley. They played 30 shows from May 16 to August 10, 2024.[9][57][58] Coinciding with the band's opening night at Sphere, a temporary exhibit called the "Dead Forever Experience" opened at the Venetian resort. It contained archival material including backstage passes, ticket stubs, photos, and tapes. Additionally, Sirius XM's Grateful Dead Channel broadcast live from the venue in the "Deadhead Confessions Booth".[59][60] The residency grossed $131.4 million from 477,000 tickets sold,[61] making it the seventh-highest-grossing concert residency in history.[62]

Discography

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The band has not released any studio recordings. Concert recordings from their 2016 to 2023 tours are available through their website, Livedead.co, and streaming on nugs.net and other major platforms.[63]

Members

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  • Bob Weir – rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals (2015–present) (Grateful Dead 1965–1995)
  • Mickey Hart – percussion, drums (2015–present) (Grateful Dead 1967–1971; 1974–1995)
  • John Mayer – lead guitar, lead and backing vocals (2015–present)
  • Jeff Chimenti – keyboards, backing vocals (2015–present)
  • Oteil Burbridge – bass, percussion, backing and lead vocals (2015–present)
  • Bill Kreutzmann – drums (2015–2023) (Grateful Dead 1965–1995)
  • Jay Lane – drums (2023–present) (occasional sub for Kreutzmann 2021–2022)[64]

Tours

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Standalone shows

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The band has played thirteen concerts that are not officially part of any tour:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Todd, Nate (June 7, 2020). "Oteil Burbridge Discusses Singing with Dead & Company, African-American Music's Influence on Grateful Dead & More". JamBase. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  2. ^ "Dead & Company (Official Facebook Page)". Facebook. Retrieved April 17, 2017. Dead & Company is: Mickey Hart – Drums / Percussion; Bill Kreutzmann – Drums / Percussion; John Mayer – Guitar / Vocals; Bob Weir – Guitar / Vocal; Oteil Burbridge – Bass; Jeff Chimenti – Keys
  3. ^ "The Dead rise again: Dead & Company on tour". CBS News. June 2, 2016. Archived from the original on April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017. The group includes three of the Grateful Dead's surviving core four: Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir, joined by John Mayer ('I'm going in tonight, like a 1930s boxer,' he exclaimed); former Allman Brothers bassist Oteil Burbidge; and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti.
  4. ^ Fricke, David (May 31, 2016). "Bob Weir on Dead & Company's Future, John Mayer's 'Classicist' Style". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  5. ^ "A Deadhead's pilgrimage: How a Dead & Company concert helped me connect with my late uncle". America Magazine. September 8, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
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  7. ^ Kaufman, Gil (July 20, 2023). "Dead & Company Fading Away After Most Successful Tour in Spin-Off Band's History". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
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  9. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (February 2, 2024). "Dead & Company Reveal Dates for Dead Forever Summer Run at Las Vegas' Sphere". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
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  57. ^ Harrington, Jim (May 17, 2024). "Review: Dead & Company Opens Sphere Las Vegas Residency in Epic Fashion". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  58. ^ Blistein, Jon (May 28, 2024). "Dead and Co. Will Stay 'Dead Forever' at the Sphere a Little Longer". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  59. ^ Miller, Shirley Halperin and Jeff (May 18, 2024). "Dead & Company Deliver at the Sphere With Psychedelic Visuals and Classic Iconography". LAmag - Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  60. ^ "New Dead & Company experience opening at The Venetian". Channel 13 Las Vegas News KTNV. May 13, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
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  62. ^ Frankenberg, Eric (September 12, 2024). "25 Biggest Concert Residencies of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  63. ^ Hartzog, Oscar (May 5, 2023). "Dead & Company to Livestream Upcoming Cornell Concert -- Here's How to Watch the Show Online". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  64. ^ "Dead & Company Close Out Halloween Run with Jay Lane". Relix. November 1, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
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  66. ^ Bernstein, Scott (November 10, 2017). "Dead & Company, Metallica & More Band Together For Northern California Fire Victims". JamBase. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
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  68. ^ "Dead & Company Detail Playing In The Sand 2020". JamBase. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.

Further reading

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