Dead & Company returned to Sphere last night for the 30th and final show of their monumental Dead Forever residency.
As only the third band to perform at Sphere, Bob Weir, John Mayer, Mickey Hart, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, and Jay Lane proved many things over the course of the three-month run, chief among them that the group has plenty left in the tank after completing its Final Tour last summer. The groundbreaking residency also showed that the band doesn’t need to travel to sell hundreds of thousands of tickets, and that the rigidity of pre-programmed Sphere visuals does not preclude seamless integration with live improvisation.
Unlike U2, who provided proof of concept with 40 shows at Sphere, each one basically identical, and unlike Phish, who capped their Sphere debut at four shows in order to avoid repeating visuals, Dead & Company invented their own approach by reusing the same imagery with different songs while continuing to roll out fresh visuals over the course of the residency. Though perhaps necessitated by the astronomic cost of producing new visuals for the Sphere screen, the band’s strategy definitely paid off. Each night felt new, with a fresh setlist and unique, in-the-moment improvisation, just as every Grateful Dead show should.
Saturday’s grand finale was a Deadhead’s dream, with a setlist loaded full of classic jams. The six-song first set kicked off with “Feel Like a Stranger”, “Franklin’s Tower”, and “Row Jimmy”, followed by a float down Johnny Cash‘s “Big River” to “Tennessee Jed”. The band finished the frame with “Althea”, which holds special significance in Dead & Co. history as the first song performed by Weir and Mayer (it also happens to be a favorite of Mayer’s).
Set two began with two traditional pairings, with “China Cat Sunflower” flowing into “I Know You Rider” and “Help on the Way” segueing into “Slipknot!”. Unable to contain his enthusiasm, Mayer ditched the brace that prevented him from using his left index finger at the past few shows and exploded like a mare put out to pasture after being trapped in a pen.
Always a crowd favorite, “Terrapin Station” then carried the band to “Drums” > “Space”, which was unarguably the star of the residency. The segment has long divided fans, with some appreciating the way it breaks up the set and others viewing it as just a break from the good stuff. At Sphere, though, “Drums” in particular shined in a whole new light. The intense, totally immersive visuals, the rumbling haptic seats, and the 3D spatial audio made for a mind-blowing experience that would actually be great concert on its own.
“Sphere is the greatest venue for Drums/Space and it’s not even close,” said L4LM founder Kunj Shah, who was on the ground for the finale. “It’s the part of the Dead & Company show that best utilizes the venue.”
There’s really only one thing that could have improved Drums/Space at Sphere, and that’s Bill Kreutzmann.
“Standing on the Moon” offered a moment of reflection, which was well warranted at the end of a residency that included emotional tributes to the late Bill Walton, who passed away just two weeks into the run, and Jerry Garcia.
Two upbeat tunes, “Bertha” and “U.S. Blues”, lifted spirits before the band said “fare thee well” with “Brokedown Palace”.
Obviously, they couldn’t finish “One More Saturday Night” in Vegas without the titular number, which was followed by an emotional “Ripple” closer. At the end of the night, a long list of credits appeared on the Sphere screen recognizing all those who contributed to making the residency a success, from audio, backline, and lights, to production, wardrobe, and more.
With that, Dead & Company’s Dead Forever residency comes to a close. No word yet on what’s next for the band as the members each go their separate ways, but after an unbelievable summer in Vegas, you know Dead & Co. will not fade away.
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Dead & Company – “Franklin’s Tower” – 8/10/24
[Video: Dave Gordon]
Dead & Company – “Row Jimmy”, “Big River” (Johnny Cash) – 8/10/24
[Video: T Tripp]
Dead & Company – “Tennessee Jed” – 8/10/24
[Video: T Tripp]
Dead & Company – “Althea” – 8/10/24
[Video: Dave Gordon]
Dead & Company – “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” – 8/10/24
[Video: Dave Gordon]
Dead & Company – “Standing On The Moon”, “Bertha” – 8/10/24
[Video: T Tripp]
Dead & Company – “U.S. Blues” – 8/10/24
[Video: T Tripp]
Dead & Company – “Brokedown Palace”, “One More Saturday Night” – 8/10/24
[Video: T Tripp]
Dead & Company – “Ripple” – 8/10/24
[Video: Mark Drakk]
Setlist: Dead & Company | Sphere | Las Vegas, NV | 8/10/24
Set 1: Feel Like a Stranger, Franklin’s Tower, Row Jimmy, Big River (Johnny Cash), Tennessee Jed, Althea
Set 2: China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider (Traditional), Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Terrapin Station > Drums > Space > Standing on the Moon, Bertha, U.S. Blues, Brokedown Palace
Encore: One More Saturday Night (Bob Weir), Ripple
Now that this epic Dead & Co Sphere run is over and you’ll be missing music filled weekends with friends, why not plan to gather again in the Fall at Golden Road Festival this November 8th, 9th, and 10th at Wonder Valley Ranch Resort in Sanger, CA? Relax, hang out and let GRF spoil you for 3 days and nights while over 25 musicians fill the mountain air with inventive collaborations like the One More Saturday Night Mega-Jam! Join legendary artists including Oteil Burbridge, Jason Crosby, Mihali, John Kadlecik, Quinn Sullivan, Nikki Glaspie, Lamar Williams Jr., Alan Paul, Junior Mack, Andy Aledort, John Morgan Kimmock, David Gans, Dave Ellis, Jill Simmons, and guests for an intimate late night, live music soirée. Come the rockin’ stroke of midnight, the whole place is gonna fly! Grab your ticket here.
