Dead & Company Unveil Four Sphere Premieres During Night 8 of Dead Forever Residency

Dead & Company continued their Dead Forever Las Vegas Sphere residency with an exhilarating eighth performance on Friday. Following an emotional tribute on the seventh night to basketball legend and devoted Deadhead Bill Walton, the Friday show predominantly featured classic tracks from the 1970s Grateful Dead repertoire, along with four Sphere debut performances.The lineup for Dead & Company includes Grateful Dead veterans Bob Weir (guitar) and Mickey Hart (drums), joined by John Mayer (guitar), Oteil Burbridge (bass), Jeff Chimenti (keyboards), and Jay Lane (drums). They launched the eighth night with a vibrant rendition of the beloved Grateful Dead hit, “Shakedown Street,” offering a dynamic start from their extensive vault of music. The evening continued with the iconic “Jack Straw” from the Europe ’72 album, transporting the audience from Haight-Ashbury into the cosmos. This was followed by the debut of the bluesy “New Speedway Boogie” from the album Workingman’s Dead within the grand dome. The gentle “Row Jimmy” also made its first appearance at the Sphere, concluding with vivid psychedelic ship imagery. The psychedelic journey progressed with another Europe ’72 classic, “Tennessee Jed,” enhanced by tie-dyed visuals. The band then picked up the tempo with “Playing in the Band,” before closing the set with the traditional “Don’t Ease Me In,” also making its Sphere debut. Notably, as the Grateful Dead’s debut single from 1966, this performance featured a nostalgic Grateful Dead scrapbook motif. The second set opened harmoniously with “Uncle John’s Band,” followed by the classic pairing of “China Cat Sunflower” and “I Know You Rider.” The band then ventured into the psychedelic depths of “Dark Star,” which seamlessly transitioned into an intense “Drums” and “Space” segment. Emerging from “Space,” the hauntingly beautiful “Stella Blue” led into the epic narrative of “Terrapin Station.” The title track from the Grateful Dead’s 1977 album navigated a purple sea of colorful, swirling psychedelic visuals. The rocker “Hell in a Bucket” came next, followed by the Sphere premiere of the poignant “Black Muddy River.” Dead & Company concluded the concert on a high note with a powerful rendition of “Casey Jones.”