Dead & Company: The Grateful Dead Is Resurrected (Again), This Time With John Mayer *

The Grateful Dead Is Resurrected Once More, This Time With John Mayer
August 5, 2015
<www.billboard.com>


"It's kind of late in the year to put together a tour, but we're gonna try"
-Bob Weir


"...The Grateful Dead’s run of five sold-out shows earlier this summer, billed as Fare Thee Well and featuring Phish’s Trey Anastasio, was not a final farewell after all.

As previously reported by Billboard, three of the Dead’s "core four" players -- guitarist Bob Weir and drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann -- plan to continue the party, with John Mayer on guitar. Their first performance as Dead & Company is set for Halloween night (Oct. 31) at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where the Grateful Dead had played more than 50 times since its formation in 1965.

Joining the group on bass is Oteil Burbridge of the Allman Brothers and Aquarium Rescue Unit and Ratdog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, who played all five Fare Thee Well shows alongside Bruce Hornsby. Dead bassist Phil Lesh will sit out this incarnation, but continue with his own side outfit, Phil and Friends.

"Those songs weren't done with us," Weir tells Billboard of a decision that came with little deliberation. "It was a matter of who wanted to get back out on the road and keep doing it." Mayer’s enthusiasm, he adds, "was the cherry on the sundae that made this project look like a good idea..."

story continues...

http://www.billboard.com/biz/articl...-is-resurrected-once-more-this-time-with-john

 

Yeah, but no. Minus Phil and plus Mayer isn't a patch on, nor extension of, FTW at all. No, thanks.

 

No Phil, no party!

 

...and then there were three?

not sure which is more objectionable

• No Phil
• John Mayer

 

Give John a shot, he's a helluva guitar player.

 

Glad it's called Dead and Company

 

I'm expecting the pre-order announcement for the Complete Dead & Company tour box set to happen any minute now.

45CDs and 10 blu-rays representing the complete "Dead & Company" experience!

 

Reminds me of The Other Ones 2000 with Alphonso Johnson on bass. Alphonso is an accomplished player, but it just didn't work - I walked out of the show at The Meadowlands in Jersey after about 40 minutes, I was just that bored to tears and yearning for what the music used to be.

 

This.
With Mayer in the fold I would say we've reached the hint of the glimpse of a reflection of a shadow's shadow. On a very gray day.

 

I guess I would go see this lineup if they came through town, but I'm not going out of my way to hear the tapes for these shows. I still have not listened to any of the FTW shows either to be honest. After the 2003 Dead tour I kind of came to the conclusion that the Jerry-less Dead is just not for me.

 

With all respect to John Mayer, I don't care for him but he is apparently a big fan.

However, do they really think this will sell tickets to fill MSG? The Fare thee well shows had the Deadheads AND rabid Phish fans scarfing up tickets, it filled a stadium.

How many Mayer fans care about The GD experience. This is nothing more than another Further tour (but without Phil!)

In sum, this conglomeration should be playing Hunter Mountain or Roseland. They will be eating a lot of tickets at MSG.

 

Mixed feelings about this. All I know is that Mayer has been doing a credible "Althea":



Other random points:

- Surprised to read Mayer didn't discover the band until so recently. Hope it means he's entering this with the commitment of the recently converted.

- Phil is playing in NY state the same night as the MSG date. Not sure how to interpret that.

- Billy compares Mayer to Pigpen?

- No matter how they spin this, it's going to cheapen Fare Thee Well. They couldn't wait until next year at least?

- Would have prefered Los Muertos over Dead & Company.

 

The way John Mayer mugs during his solos is, like, early 90s parking lot.

 

I'd like to see that. Hopefully they put a Haloween stream! People won't have to worry about Phil singing!

 

I prefer people who love the songs to keep playing these songs. I don't hold it against them that people do tend to die sooner or later. I don't judge this against 1990 or 1972. I judge this this sort of thing in 2015 vs. none of it in 2015. I prefer this.

Also, it is possible to misunderestimate Mayer. The singer/songwriter thing was a conscious change of path for him that led to his career as it is generally known. He was/is a Guitarist. People obviously have preferences/tastes regarding style but I expect him to be ready to roll.

 

We will not be adding any more Fare Thee Well performances. The three Chicago shows will still be our final stand. We decided to add these two Santa Clara shows to enable more of our fans to celebrate with us one more time. But this is it.


Well, technically this is not a Fare The Well performance.

 

How the hell do I get back through the looking glass?

 

I'm in

 

Give John Mayer a chance:

 

No Phil, and that dude with the overly large head, just say no.

 

I will admit that over the years I've found John Mayer to be a VERY good guitar player who if he took this gig seriously could probably surprise some people. He did a great job on the SRV induction. Annoying public persona aside I think he really does pull off the idea that he is a guitar player first.
I would be interested to hear how he plays Dead songs.

 

Guitar solos in Dead songs don't need O-faces. Douches don't need validation. I can understand that these guys want to play, but no thanks.

 

It will sell out.

No question in my mind whatsoever.

 

Yikes. They should join forces with the current Yes incarnation and call it the "Legacy Obliteration Tour"