Concerts

No Bigger Sign of Life: Dead & Company, Other Tours Coming to Town

By Eric S. Page • •

Dead and Company 7.6.18 Connie Bolger (12)
Connie Bolger

You know things are getting back to normal when the Dead & Company -- that's former Grateful Dead drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, frontman Bob Weir, and their newish buddy John Mayer -- announce a San Diego show.

Bob and the boys have been fairly regular bi-annual visitors to the county -- last spotted in July 2018 (gallery below), so no big surprise to hear they plan to play North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre down in South Bay on Oct. 27.

Connie Bolger
Its other members include John Mayer (guitar), Oteil Burbridge (bass) and Jeff Chimenti (keyboards).
Connie Bolger
The band got its unassuming beginnings in 2015 when Mayer met Weir during Mayer's stint guest-hosting “The Late Late Show.”
Connie Bolger
Weir was the musical guest and invited Mayer (pictured) to join him in his studio performance.
Connie Bolger
After Mayer’s performance with Weir, they had created a unique musical bond. Mayer went home and began practicing the Grateful Dead’s large catalog of songs.
Connie Bolger
Meanwhile, Weir, Hart and Kreutzmann were prepping with other Grateful Dead members for the band’s 50th anniversary shows (affectionately titled “Fare Thee Well”). After those shows, Dead & Company was officially formed.
Connie Bolger
Phil Lesh, the original bassist for the Grateful Dead, declined to join the band. Phish’s Mike Gordon had auditioned to be the band’s bass player but ultimately had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts.
Connie Bolger
Both Mayer and Weir have expressed great enthusiasm for the project -- both stating they can’t see an end to it, maybe ever. They've toured together every year since 2015 (twice in 2017).
Connie Bolger
The band's first set on July 6 (according to setlist.fm) included: "Hell in a Bucket," "Big Boss Man" (Jimmy Reed cover), "Tennessee Jed," "Row Jimmy," "Friend of the Devil," "Bird Song" into "Loose Lucy" back into "Bird Song."
Connie Bolger
Their second set consisted of: "Mr. Charlie," "Truckin'," "New Speedway Boogie," "Estimated Prophet," "Shakedown Street," "Drums," "Space," "I Need a Miracle," "Dear Prudence" (Beatles cover) and "U.S. Blues."
Connie Bolger
Their final song and rousing encore was a cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door."

The tour kicks off Aug 16 in Raleigh, North Carolina, wrapping up with a Halloween show, the last of a three-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl.

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Tickets go on sale at noon on May 21 via Ticketmaster. Or you can try this route: "Fan Registration is now available here until Sunday, May 16 at 10 p.m. PT, through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program." That presale starts May 19 at 1O a.m. PT.

There are definitely signs that Live Nation is stirring back to life. This week, the mega-promoter announced shows with country star Dierks Bentley (Aug. 26; also at the Amp); Christian rockers NeedToBreathe (Sept. 14; Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre on the campus of SDSU); Mexico's Banda MS (the Amp; Oct. 10) and Califanes (OAT; Sept. 2); and Little Rockers Evanescence (Viejas Arena at San Diego State; Nov. 13). Head over to Ticketmaster for more info on all those shows.

As far as the Dead & Company are concerned, late October is too long out to know if we'll need masks -- but only time will tell. For more on the COVID criteria: "The tour and all venues will be following all mandated precautions in accordance with state and local regulations so as to provide the most secure, COVID-19-free environment possible."

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