Photo by Steven Rood
Last night, May 19, Dead & Company took to the stage of the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., for the first show of their final tour. The legendary band, consisting of former members of the Grateful Dead along with John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti and Jay Lane, delivered a night of unforgettable music furthering the enduring flame of the Grateful Dead, which has served as a guiding light to so many for so long.
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The show kicked off with “Shakedown Street,” immediately setting the crowd’s energy soaring. They continued with “Cold Rain and Snow,” with Mayer singing, “Well, I married me a wife, she’s been trouble all my life/Run me out in the cold rain and snow, rain and snow/ Run me out in the cold rain and snow.” Next up was “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” followed by “They Love Each Other” – the soulful Jerry Garcia cover that resonated with fans. From there, the band locked into the groove and performed a run of “St. Stephen” into “William Tell Bridge,” which, as expected, gave way to “The Eleven,” showcasing the band’s improvisational skills before they closed the frame was completed with another Garcia-penned favorite “Deal.”
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After the set break, Dead & Company wasted no time in captivating the audience with “Sugaree” Mayer’s soulful vocals and impressive guitar skills breathed new life into the Garcia gem. The band continued to pay homage to their roots with “New Speedway Boogie” before the energy soared even higher as they launched into “Eyes of the World.” “Estimated Prophet” followed, captivating the crowd with a hypnotic rhythm, which was only elevated as they moved into the “Drums” segment of the show, during which Burbridge captivated fans on banjo bass, adding a unique and mesmerizing element to the performance. “Space” followed before they took a trip via “The Wheel” before a penultimate “Warf Rat” flowed into the grand finale of “Sugar Magnolia.” After thunderous applause, the band returned to the stage for an encore performance of “Black Muddy River.”
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Dead & Company will continue their final tour with another performance set for the Kia Forum tonight. Watch every night of Dead & Company’s final tour on nugs.net. Stream the shows live or on-demand with 48-hour replay here.
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