Dead and Company, the immensely popular jam-band offshoot of the Bay Area’s legendary Grateful Dead, is calling it quits.
But, thankfully, not before hitting the road for one more summer tour.
The band — which features Grateful Dead alums Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir as well as John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti — made the announcement via social media on Friday.
“Word travels fast and we wanted to be the first to let you know that Dead & Company will be hitting the road next summer for what will be our final tour,” the band posted on its twitter page, twitter.com/deadandcompany. “Stay tuned for a full list of dates for what will surely be an exciting, celebratory, and heartfelt last run of shows.”
Not surprisingly, the announcement was immediately met with sad reactions from the band’s loyal fans, who are commonly referred to as Deadheads.
“Oh I’m so sad sad to see you guys go. The end of the era. I can’t believe the long strange trip is going to be over,” tweeted Hippy chick 1234.
Yet, most of the comments online also conveyed a sense of — appropriately enough — gratitude, for all the music and joy that the bandmembers have delivered over the years.
“Wow that’s a bummer. It has been a great ride. Thanks for all the good times,” tweeted David DeWitt.
And, in true Deadhead style, many used the announcement as a chance to start making their own touring plans for 2023.
“Oh no, guess I’ll have to go to as many shows as possible,” tweeted aLisaK_3388. “Thank you all so much.”
Dead and Company got its start following the highly successful Fare Thee Well shows celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. That was billed as the last time that the surviving members Weir, Kreutzmann, Hart and Phil Lesh would share the stage together. Those shows were held in summer 2015 — at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and Soldier Field in Chicago — and Dead and Company would launch its first tour just a few months later.
Now after growing to become one of the top touring acts in Northern California — will a mixture of arenas, amphitheaters and even large sports stadiums — Dead and Company is ready for park the tour bus for good.
Could this really mark the end of the “long strange trip” that the Grateful Dead first commenced on way back in 1965 in Palo Alto, California?
Not according to charter member Bobby Weir, who sent out a hopeful tweet saying that, while Dead & Co. has apparently reached its expiration date, there’s more music to come from the Grateful Dead family.
“Well it looks like that’s it for this outfit; but don’t worry we will all be out there in one form or another until we drop…” he tweeted.
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