It almost feels futile to write about a first experience at Sphere in Las Vegas. But if a picture is worth a thousand words, two sets of Dead & Company in front of a wall of sight (and sound) is worth at least enough to get the word out.
For the better part of four hours, Bob Weir, John Mayer, Mickey Hart, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, and Jay Lane did what they’ve been doing on most Thursdays since mid-May. That is, put on a show that would, on its own, be one for the ages. This particular setlist practically doubled as a “best of” for the Grateful Dead—which is to be expected of a proper Vegas residency.
The evening began with “Alabama Getaway”, set against a backdrop of the band projected onto scaffolding. That scaffolding then parted to reveal a vision of the Dead’s old residence at 710 Ashbury St. as the band kept “Truckin’” along in the first set. They guided the audience through a tunnel to another world during “Ramble On Rose”, immersed the house inside of a lava lamp for “Mr. Charlie”, and then transported them to a rainforest with “Jack Straw”.
For those seeking a “cowboy show,” the Dead offered some fan service with spaghetti Western visuals set to Johnny Cash’s “Big River”. To close out the first set, they jammed out to “Althea” amid a room full of band memorabilia.
Following a brief break, Dead & Company returned to blow more minds, beginning with another tunnel trip, this time, en route to “St. Stephen”. The dome itself turned into a bed of “Scarlet Begonias” before falling away to reveal a colorful landscape for “Franklin’s Tower”. The (virtual) curtain came down for the Dead’s traditional rendition of Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” with a snippet of The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” tacked on the end. “Drums” and “Space” saw Mickey jam out on his array of instruments while surrounded by his own psychedelic art.
The full lineup returned for a first-time rendition of Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Remember You”, a surprising new choice for Bobby’s traditional post-“Space” ballad. Though the Grateful Dead never performed the song from Dylan’s 1985 Empire Burlesque album with The Heartbreakers, this was a fitting addition to the Dead & Company songbook as Bob Dylan joined up with the Dead two years after Empire Burlesque for a joint summer stadium tour. Thursday’s cover commanded reverent silence in the packed Sphere, only to be broken by a journey to see the “Fire on the Mountain”.
Related: Dead & Company Sphere Shakedown Moves Inside, Reveals Lineup For Free After-Parties
For “Brown-Eyed Women”, the high-definition dome followed the Grateful Dead’s path from the Fillmore in San Francisco, to New York’s Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden. The band then parachuted back into Haight Ashbury while performing “Black Muddy River”, before ending the evening with “Not Fade Away” while backed up by a gallery of old Grateful Dead photos.
If none of that made any sense, go see Dead & Company at the Sphere for yourself. If any of that registered, go see Dead & Company at the Sphere. Either way, go see Dead & Company at Sphere.
And if you can’t make it to Vegas before the end of their residency in August, make a plan to check out the Sphere at some point—perhaps for Eagles’ upcoming residency in September and October.
The sheer mind expansion that comes from now seeing what is not only possible, but happening (nearly) nightly in live music will make even a million words worth of description seem futile.
Check out videos from Dead & Company at Sphere on Thursday. The band returns to Sphere for two more concerts tonight, June 14th, and Saturday. For a full list of upcoming dates, head here.
Fans hoping to get in on the action with Dead & Company at Sphere can find tons of face-value tickets for the entire run via CashorTrade. By choosing CashorTrade over other sites you are supporting real fans, not brokers trying to offload inventory. Unlike other platforms, you may even stumble upon a miracle. Browse what’s available on the site here.
If you have enjoyed the magic of Dead & Co at Sphere, make your way to the Golden Road Festival and extend the enchantment with some of your favorite artists and special guests. This intimate, 200-person boutique event offers an all-inclusive experience where every detail is considered…even free massages stageside! Join Golden Road Festival for unforgettable moments and memories that will last a lifetime. Find tickets here.
Dead & Company — “Alabama Getaway” — 6/13/24
[Video: nowiknowuryder]
Setlist: Dead & Company | Sphere | Las Vegas, NV | 6/13/24
Set One: Alabama Getaway, Truckin’, Ramble On Rose, Mr. Charlie, Jack Straw, Big River (Johnny Cash), Althea
Set Two: St. Stephen > Scarlet Begonias > Franklin’s Tower > Dear Mr. Fantasy (Traffic) > Hey Jude (The Beatles) [1] > Drums > Space > I’ll Remember You (Bob Dylan) [2] > Fire on the Mountain, Brown-Eyed Women, Black Muddy River, Not Fade Away (The Crickets)
[1] Coda only
[2] FTP
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