Dead and Company came to the First Niagara Center in Buffalo on Wednesday November 11, 2015. The band, which includes three of four founding members of The Grateful Dead and Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti and most notably John Mayer. Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, and Bob Weir were on top of their game and the chemistry that was ignited really created a great experience. There is no doubt that John Mayer brings something incredible to the table and the reviews couldn’t be more accurate. Mayer continues to turn heads. If Dead and Company does continue to tour, John Mayer better be a part of the cast.
Set 1: Promised Land, New Minglewood Blues, Bertha, Here Comes Sunshine, El Paso, Althea, U.S. Blues
Set 2: Viola Lee Blues > Wang Dang Doodle > Viola Lee Blues > New Speedway Boogie > Truckin’ > Dark Star >
Drums > Space > Dark Star > China Doll > Sugar Magnolia
Dead & Company was an idea that to most, floating on an initial thought, may have been hard to conceptualize. To a very large amount of the Grateful Dead community there was a vast amount of skepticism around how it could be possible for John Mayer to find his place as the lead guitarist for an adaptation of the Grateful Dead, involving three of the ‘Core Four.’
To many of his faithful fans, Mayer could do no harm. However, even those who bridged the gap between Mayer fans and Deadheads would likely respond that Mayer may be most likely to have what most would see as a tenuous grasp of the Dead musical lingo. After all, John Mayer had little knowledge of the depths of the Grateful Dead library until he signed on to this project. On October 29 in Albany, NY, Dead & Company officially began their first tour.
Fast forward a little over a week, five live shows into what seemed like an experiment. This newly created band called Dead & Company takes the stage at Madison Square Garden for the sixth show of their first tour; a free show to those lucky enough to score a ticket in a small number of lotteries between sponsoring names like American Express and Headcount. One could tell from the initial sounds of what would turn into a “Shakedown Street” opener that this experiment had completely transitioned into a band that had found their groove.
The communication among the bandmates was obviously fluid; they were on the same page. The first set was solid and showed great signs of how this band has matured in a short period of time. From the first show, it was clear that there was confidence in each individual player, but from the first moment of the first set on November 7 there was an immediate indication that all involved were working as one, including the crowd.
Three of the ‘Core Four’, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann, were joined by three other musical monsters, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti, and moved deftly through a quick, hour-long first set, bringing home in strong fashion songs like “I Need a Miracle,” “Cold Rain and Snow,” and “Jack Straw.” The quick set brought up thoughts of whether this free show was going to be a layup for the band and allow them to have a brief two sets, while still keeping their fans happy.
Then came set two. A strong and long second set is something anyone would be looking for and even more so after a short first set, and what was sought after was certainly delivered. Bobby, John and the crew came out and fired off with “Help on the Way” and from there they could not be stopped. One amazing rendition of what could now be seen as age-old jam band tunes flowed into the next.
Jaws were dropped multiple times as Mayer and Burbridge conveyed just how hard they have worked to contribute to this next step in Grateful Dead adaptation. Dead & Co. gracefully and masterfully presented the crowd with a wonderful, heartfelt “Franklin’s Tower,” sung by Mayer, and really showed what potential they have with a “St. Stephen,” that caused the fans to erupt in cheers multiple times. This second set, which was nothing short of magical, flowed through eight continual songs that ended with “Drums>Space>The Other One,” before a break in the action was taken. The set was capped off with Bobby warming the audience with “Stella Blue” and a seamless transition into “Not Fade Away,” which did not seem to end until the band came back out for encore. The crowd just could not be silenced, clapping the drum cadence and continuing to sing, “You know our love will not fade away!”
When the boys did return for encore, everyone was announcing what song they expected for encore and even those who did not guess right were not disappointed. Dead & Company finished off their sixth show of the tour, the third at Madison Square Garden, with an unbelievable “Brokedown Palace.” Everyone has heard Bob Weir sing that song many times. However, hearing John Mayer contribute to the singing with Bobby was something that brought a free concert, filled with such fun and emotion, to a very happy ending.
Setlist:
Set One: Shakedown Street > I Need A Miracle > Cold Rain & Snow, Tennessee Jed, They Love Each Other, Jack Straw
Set Two: Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower, He’s Gone > St. Stephen > Drums > Space > The Other One > Stella Blue > Not Fade Away
Grateful Dead shows have a certain history in Albany, and ever since the opening of the Knickerbocker Arena in 1990, now the Times Union Center, Deadheads have flocked to the Capital District. At the start of Dead and Company’s Fall tour, the crowd enjoyed warm pre-show weather and an even hotter show inside as Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart brought John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti along for the strong start to a promising tour.
Opening with “Playing in the Band” was an apt way to welcome the two newcomers – Oteil and John – into the fold, and set the tone for the night. Fan favorites “Cold Rain and Snow” and “Tennessee Jed” followed and the bar was set. Mayer nailed the Jerry tone throughout the show, particularly during “The Music Never Stopped,” “Lost Sailor,” “Help on the Way”>“Slipknot,” and “Space”>”The Other One”. He is a great choice to fill the Jerry role as Trey Anastasio and John Kadlecik were in different iterations of Grateful Dead alumni shows.
Although restrained early on in the show, with Bob Weir setting a slower pace for songs, Mayer burst forth on “Bird Song,” a highlight of the first set. Periods of good jamming emerged from “Drums”>”Space”>”The Other One,” and a perfect segue into “Slipknot!” provided the highlight of the second set. “Franklin’s Tower” had atypical singing of later verses and a rough transition from “Slipknot!”, but some rust can be expected on the first night of the tour. As the next few weeks progress, the sound will become more cohesive and develop an even more well honed sound from this supergroup.
Dead and Company, Times Union Center, Albany, NY 10/29/15 Set 1: Playing in the Band > Cold Rain and Snow, Tennessee Jed, Feel Like a Stranger, He’s Gone, Bird Song, The Music Never Stopped Set 2: Lost Sailor > Saint of Circumstance, Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower, Drums > Space > The Other One, Stella Blue > Not Fade Away Encore: Touch of Grey
With Dead & Company hitting the road later this month, starting at The Times Union Center in Albany, Bob Weir shed some light on the the upcoming tour as well as the potential for more shows with the Fare Thee Well “Core Four” in the future.
Weir had high praise for John Mayer, filling in for lead guitar with this modified FTW lineup. “John’s enthusiasm for this is amazing — I couldn’t believe it. He learned the songs, has great enthusiasm, and he’s a great guitar player. So he fits in perfectly.” Mayer addressed his role in a humble manner, referring to his role by saying, “I don’t feel the pressure, but I would say I feel a responsibility.”
For those looking to see the Core Four perform together again, Weir offered hope to Deadheads hoping for more shows with bassist Phil Lesh. “Phil doesn’t want to hit the road. He’s 75 now. It’s kind of not an option for him, the way he puts it. And so, you know, that’s still where we are; that’s still where we’re going to live, at least I am. And so, if we’re going to see him, we’re going to see him around here or around someplace where he is.”
Suffice it to say, if there were to be shows, they would be similar to the two and three-day events held in Santa Clara, California, and Chicago this past summer, and not a full-blown tour.
On the heels of the announced Halloween show at Madison Square Garden and subsequent additional date due to popular demand, an official tour has now been announced via the official Dead and Company Instagram account. The first date of the tour will be in Albany at the Times Union Center on Oct. 29. Pre-sale ticket sales for American Express card holders begins at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26. General public on-sale date is Friday, Aug. 28.
A photo posted by Dead & Company (@deadandcompany) on Aug 24, 2015 at 11:54am PDT
Following the Albany and MSG shows, the tour continues to Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and Worcester, Massachusetts. The tour wraps on the West Coast with a pair of shows at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on Dec. 27 and 28 and a New Years run at the Forum in Los Angeles Dec. 30 and 31.
The Grateful Dead hold the Times Union Arena record for most times played with 13 shows between 1990-1995. The certified gold 1996 release Dozin’ at the Knick was recorded at Times Union (formerly known as Knickerbocker Arena) in March of 1990.
Dead & Company Fall Tour & New Year’s Eve Run
10/29 – Albany, NY – Times Union Center
10/31 – New York City, NY – Madison Square Garden
11/1 – New York City, NY – Madison Square Garden
11/5 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
11/6 – Washington, DC – Verizon Center
11/10 – Worcester, MA – DCU Center
12/27 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
12/28 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
12/30 – Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
12/31 – Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
