Dead & Company

The band who call themselves Dead & Company took the stage just before 8:00pm. Original Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Krueutzmann were joined by friends of the jam, Oteil Burbridge on bass and Jeff Chimenti on keys. Oteil and Chimenti came with resumés written for the job, but the young face on the stage came from a different world altogether. It’s no secret John Mayer has guitar skills beyond what might appear on his Top 40 pop rock albums, but he isn’t the first person who comes to mind when thinking about a Jerry Garcia stand-in. That being said, any trepidation the crowd might have felt was immediately put to rest by the 38-year-old singer-songwriter. As if teaching himself close to a hundred Dead-related songs wasn’t enough, Mayer was in lockstep with the rest of the band through the entire performance. Instead of trying to be a living, breathing hologram of Garcia (which would have been a disaster), he found a way of paying tribute to the lost legend without giving up his own personality. The night opened with a rejuvenated Weir on lead vocals for “Hell in a Bucket”, before he turned it over to Mayer for “Brown Eyed Women”. The transition was seamless. Weir’s vocals were much stronger than they were when I saw him with Futhur, even though they could have been louder in the mix. There was zero banter and very little pause between songs as the two guitarists burned down the road that was being paved out of thin air by Hart and Kruetzmann. The two drummers communicated via a silent language only they understood, while the great skull in the sky hung above them. The sounds emanating from the stage, along with the visuals on the trio of giant screens, were enough to convince me I’d never really experienced the Grateful Dead before. - See more at: http://ilistensoyoudonthaveto.com/2015/12/01/dead-company-1stbank-center-11-25-15/#sthash.7HpYNB9p.dpuf

Huge disappointment. These guys were on autopilot the entire show....absolutely no energy. They might as well have dialed in from home. I realize I'm in the minority with this bad review, but I have I can't help but think they are new fans that were just happy to be there...in other words not expecting a real grateful dead show. Obviously the Jerry days will never return, but even further was way better and 50th anniversary shows with the core four + trey & Bruce absolutely rocked. I have no doubt Mayer and Otel are doing there best, but its obvious that bob's ego is what's driving this. In order to avoid tarnishing the legacy of the dead, I beg him to stop this mockery and consider doing one set of shows a year with the core 4 plus Trey or someone worthy of being up there on stage with them (maybe a revolving cast of replacements; trey one year, Clapton the next year, Dylan, etc).

So please drop the feud with Phil, get him back, drop Mayer and only do a few shows a year so you have the energy to put on a good show

My first Dead show was in 1973 and this was arguably the best I have ever seen...especially that first set! Bob Weir appears to be getting younger...his voice is remarkable. Oteil is a joy to watch...big smiles through out and he played the entire show barefoot. The band seems to get tighter with each show. John Mayer was in rare form on lead guitar and vocals...amazing! Jeff Chimenti is just remarkable...his range is boundless and his performances are becoming legendary. Bill and Mickey were their usual rock steady selves. This current line-up is superb! It is hard to imagine that they could get even better but they never cease to amaze! Even the most knowledgeable Deadheads have got to admit that Dead & Company are as good and maybe even better than the original incarnation.

Great time. Great people. While every song was expertly performed, I was bummed with the songs chosen for the set list. I was expecting a more upbeat show for the last one of the tour. Seemed biploar at times. As soon as the crowd got amped by a great song, they followed up with a slow song and the crowd began to become disinterested. Wish it was a bit livelier on a consistent basis. Also, each song was slower tempo than normal and not what we expexted.

Saw the band in Nashville on the first tour ( arena not festival) hadn't yet heard any JM music. By the time they hit Althea I was sold. Went to NY citified last tour ( my son lives in NY) got another stellar show. Expected and got Tennessee Jed in Nashville but a great treat to hear it in NY.
I'm not the guy trying to compare this band to Grateful Dead, it is a different band but I also don't consider it a cover band.

Absolutely phenomenal show. Lots of people are complaining about the tempo of the songs, but I had no issues at all. What a special treat to hear Corrina live; I love that song and the boys played it magnificently. Ship of Fools, Minglewood, Cassidy, He's Gone, The Weight, New Speedway, Touch of Grey, and Good Lovin' were some other favorites of mine that I got to hear for the first time. Thank you Dead and Co!

We live in San Diego and unfortunately, we chose to drive to the Phoenix show instead of the Las Vegas show. Bad choice. Even though the drive was much nicer, the show was a disappointment. 4-5 good songs, with 3 total duds.

This won't stop me from going to future shows, but may make me think twice before investing 10 hours of driving and in a hotel room.

Amazing!! The Last show I saw was over twenty years ago, so I was apprehensive when I heard of the new conglomeration with John Meyer, but I'm so pleased he came on board. He's a great musician and he's not trying to be Jerry, he's trying to help keep The Dead alive, and I admire him for it. It was a wonderful show and I will definitely catch the next one!

A wonderful night with old friends that I hadn't met before! :) It was a night of camaraderie, and renewed enthusiasm for the music, and the band carrying on the legacy.
Great energy from Dead & Co. China Cat was a standout for me. It had a slow build to a powerful conclusion. It was a joy to be back on the bus again. Cheers!

My first time seeing Dead and Company, my husband has seen them several times. The best show/concert I have ever been to. A great time! They sounded awsome and the people around made for an enjoyable experience. I can't wait to see them again. Definitely a new yearly tradition!