The Legend Lives on With The Dead Forever Tour at The Sphere
Photo via Instagram
Since 2015, Dead & Company, otherwise known as Dead & Co, have collaborated to form a rock band that would honor the legacy of the legends The Grateful Dead. The members consist of three former members of the Grateful Dead; Mickey Hart, Bob Weir, and Bill Kreutzmann. They joined forces with musician John Mayer, Allman Brothers’ bassist Oteil Burbridge, and Fare Thee Well’s keyboardist Jeff Chimenti for the collaboration on this band. These five have been covering the music of the Grateful Dead, touring with different sets every show, keeping the reputation of the ‘jam band’ aspect of the original band. After Jerry Garcia, the original singer for the Grateful Dead, died in 1995, there were a few performances from the surviving members, but a notable performance of theirs was the 50th Anniversary Show in 2015. Shortly after, Mayer collaborated with the band and their journey began.
Since then, Dead & Company have completed a total of 10 tours, with over 235 shows played before concluding their run in 2023 with a final tour. As a reprise tour, the band held a Dead Forever residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas, running for 8 weekends from May to July, with additional dates added in August. This would be advertised as the end of the residency tour.
However, on December 4th, 2024, the band announced another run of shows at The Sphere in Las Vegas. A lineup of 18 shows was announced, running from March 20th to May 17th, 2025. The Sphere is known to hold residency tours for big artists, and they are benefitting from this. This tour has been widely anticipated, because of the legacy of the Grateful Dead, and how much the fans love to see the band live. The use of ‘jamming’ and the unpredictability of the sets draw fans in, as well as the enticing visuals of The Sphere that can tie in incredibly with the music.
Photo via Instagram
March 20th was the first show of the new run at The Sphere, with the usual Dead-esque visuals and attitude for the night. The trademark Dancing Bears were displayed on the screen, the sold out audience waiting for the new and unpredictable setlist from the band. The night featured two setlists, filled with songs of The Grateful Dead’s, as well as some covers that fans went crazy for. Included in the second setlist was a ‘Dead Forever’ video, which featured the late Phil Lesh, creating an emotional tribute to the fans.
The first night of the Dead Forever Tour was certainly one to remember, and a crafted welcome back to the band, fans gathering for a special night that was filled with music, memories, and a testament to the ‘long, strange trip’ of a tour ahead.
Photo via Instagram
