Famed jam band next to headline the Sphere in Las Vegas

Las Vegas Review-Journal

10 months ago

Bob Weir attends the LA premiere of "The Game Changers" at ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood ... — Bob Weir attends the LA premiere of "The Game Changers" at ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Sammy Hagar and Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir are shown at The Strat Theater on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021. (Wicked Creative)

Dead and Company is the next resident headliner at he Sphere. The venue and band’s social-media pages teased the incoming production Wednesday morning, with a message over the famous Grateful Dead skull-lighting bolt logo:

“In 2023, Dead and Company Played Their Final Tour. But there are other ways to make sue the music never stops. And it’s gonna be a ball.” Appropriately, the rock classic “Not Fade Away” plays through the clip.

The post arrived just hours after the The New York Post specified a 14-show residency, beginning in May. But we have heard from informed sources that even more dates will be announced, at least 15 and possibly 18.

Word of the booking has been reported in this column three times, the first this past November.

Full details are expected to be announced this week.

pic.twitter.com/O4uXsuGxEt

— Dead & Company (@deadandcompany) January 31, 2024

Officials for the Sphere and for the band have not returned requests for comment.

The band is led by ex-Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart and joined by John Mayer, bassist Oteil Burbridge, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and drummer Jay Lane.

The band played the final three shows of its “farewell” tour at San Francisco’s Oracle Park from July 14-16.

Mayer wraps his 2023-2024 solo tour on March 18-19 at O2 Arena in London.

Dead and Company would follow U2, closing its “venue launch” on March 2. Phish rolls in for four shows April 18-21. The theatrical production “Postcard From Earth” remains the Sphere’s anchor production.

Entertainment-management legend Irving Azoff, who along with Steve Moir, co-manages Dead and Company with Activist Artists Management’s Bernie Cahill. Azoff is reportedly a consultant in the venue’s booking. Azoff and his son, Jeffrey Azoff, also manage U2 in their Full Stop Management company.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.