Surviving Grateful Dead Members Reuniting for One Last Trip

[JKL2000]

Calling all incredibly old Deadheads! Your miracle is here. Hopefully your old acid dealer is still alive:

Grateful Dead Original Members Reunite to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

"Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of Grateful Dead" at Chicago's Soldier Field on July 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2015

Marks the Grateful Dead Members' Final Performance Together

Event information available at Dead50.net

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Grateful Dead, the four original members — Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir — will reunite at Chicago's Soldier Field, nearly 20 years to the day of the last Grateful Dead concert, which took place at the same venue. "Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of Grateful Dead" will occur over three nights on July 3, 4, and 5, 2015, marking the original members' last-ever performance together. The band will be joined by Trey Anastasio (guitar), Jeff Chimenti (keyboards), and Bruce Hornsby (piano). The group will perform two sets of music each night.

Jerry Garcia's daughter Trixie Garcia announced the shows in an exclusive interview. You can check out her announcement here.


Joining the original members of Grateful Dead are three musicians who have embodied the band's spirit of musical innovation throughout their eclectic careers. Guitarist Trey Anastasio is best known for his work as the principal songwriter and lead guitarist for touring juggernaut Phish, but he has also found time to score and arrange music for orchestras and Broadway productions such as "Best Musical" TONY nominee 'Hands on a Hardbody.' Pianist Bruce Hornsby had already won the first of his three Grammy Awards when he first guested with Grateful Dead in 1988. Following the death of the band's keyboard player Brent Mydland in 1990, Hornsby toured with the group into 1992, and he has maintained a collaborative relationship with its members ever since. Bay Area native and jazz keyboardist Jeff Chimenti joined Bob Weir's Rat Dog in 1997, and has since worked on projects such as Phil Lesh & Friends, The Other Ones, The Dead, and Furthur.

In the tradition of the original Grateful Dead Ticketing Mail Order, tickets will first be made available via a first-come, first-served mail order system. All additional ticketing information is available at Dead50.net.


I have a feeling this will come out just right. Can't wait to find out...HERE WE GO!
- Mickey Hart


The Grateful Dead lived an incredible musical story and now we get to write a whole new chapter. By celebrating our 50th, we get to cheer our past, but this isn't just about history. The Grateful Dead always played improvisational music that was born in the moment and we plan on doing the same this round.
- Bill Kreutzmann


It is with respect and gratitude that we reconvene the Dead one last time to celebrate - not merely the band's legacy, but also the community that we've been playing to, and with, for fifty years...Wave that flag, wave it wide and high...
- Phil Lesh


Lookin' forward to this one, oh boy, you bet. Let's see just how much fun we can have this 4th of July.
- Bob Weir


Jerry Garcia was a great American master and the Grateful Dead are not just a genuine piece of musical history, but also an important part of American history. This is a band, born right at the beginning of electric rock, that took the American tradition and moved it forward. They really embodied the American concept of freedom, rolling around the country with a ginormous gang of people and the mindset that 'you can come if you want, you can leave if you want. We don't know what's going to happen. All we know is we're not looking back.' What could be more American?
- Trey Anastasio


The great thing about these shows happening in Chicago, not only is it the amazing Americana of Chicago - the central location for all Dead Heads to come gather - but it's also the last place the Grateful Dead played together in 1995. Being able to get everyone back together - the fans and the band members - for this special weekend, is a really big deal.
- Trixie Garcia


This is such an important moment for the band, their fans, and for everybody that loves live music. This is the band that caused so much to happen, that led to the creation of so many bands that have been influenced by what they achieved, both musically and culturally. The Grateful Dead truly are the great American Rock & Roll band so to have their final shows take place July 4th weekend in Chicago creates a lot of potential for magic to be made.
- Producer Peter Shapiro

[Obscured]

3 nights at Soldier Field? I doubt they can fill a 61,000 seat stadium once let alone 3x. But who knows, power to 'em. I'm hoping there will be a webcast.

[Rune Blackwings]

Maybe if they got Kanye West to give this new band exposure to the world...

[Supersonic Scientist]

I've never seen the Dead but would like to take this event in to experience the band...well, 4/5 of the band anyway.

Commenting on the 3 night stay and will they fill the areana 1x or 3x.....will depend on ticket prices but if I were a betting man, I'd say that there will be PLENTY of well-heeled baby-Boomers who will think NOTHING of dropping big coin on this event.

Just my 2 cents.

[GuitarGeek]

3 nights at Soldier Field? I doubt they can fill a 61,000 seat stadium once let alone 3x. But who knows, power to 'em. I'm hoping there will be a webcast.

I beg to differ. I think they could probably sell out four or five nights at a football stadium. Back in the late 80's and 90's, they regularly broke the attendance record at Madison Square Garden, selling out upwards of 8 or 9 shows in each run they played there. What woudl happen is the Dead would play a run and break the record, then Elton John would play a run and break the record, then The Dead would do it again, and it went on that way until Jerry passed away. Allegedly, Elton then went on Letterman the next time he broke the Dead's record, and said "Now that Jerry Garcia is dead, I don't have to worry about anyone taking this away from me", or words to that effect, but I was never able to verify that actually happened (but it sounds like something Elton would say, since the man it's apparently almost as much of a snot nose as Johnny Lydon).

[Obscured]

[Rune Blackwings]

LMAO!

[Mt. Pleasant Farm]

3 nights at Soldier Field? I doubt they can fill a 61,000 seat stadium once let alone 3x. But who knows, power to 'em. I'm hoping there will be a webcast.

You just might be surprised. Dead Heads will come out of the woodwork for this festive occasion. I predict all 3 shows sell out immediately and they add three more.

[3LockBox]

Let Phil Sing

[nosebone]

You just might be surprised. Dead Heads will come out of the woodwork for this festive occasion. I predict all 3 shows sell out immediately and they add three more.

I agree.
Plus, Trey will reel in all the phish heads.

[Skullhead]

I'm not even a Dead fan and I know 3 people going!

[Spiral]

I doubt they can fill a 61,000 seat stadium once let alone 3x.

I'd think this is a name that could sell out any stadium for two weeks straight.

[JKL2000]

They better not invite Donna Godchaux!

[Obscured]

Well the fans showed me- http://www.jambase.com/Articles/1238...r-60000-Orders
**Organizers have changed the on sale date to February 28 at 10 a.m. CT and will now forego an online presale. The note on Dead50.net reads, "Wow! We’re excited (and humbled) to discover that your enthusiasm for Fare Thee Well matches our own! We have received an overwhelming number of mail order ticket requests. In an effort to honor the history and spirit of the Grateful Dead, we are going to try to fill as many of these orders as possible. This means there will be no other pre-sales. In order to give the good folks at GDTS TOO time to sort through the 60,000+ (!) envelopes received so far the new public on sale is Feb 28th @ 10 a.m. CST via Ticketmaster." Fare Thee Well co-promoter Peter Shapiro's Relix Magazine reveals that the 60,000+ envelopes are "requesting an estimated 350,000+ tickets for the three nights." We knew these shows would be popular with fans, but not to that level.**

[rich]

You just might be surprised. Dead Heads will come out of the woodwork for this festive occasion. I predict all 3 shows sell out immediately and they add three more.

Ditto! Don't underestmate the Dead Heads!

[3LockBox]

Well the fans showed me- http://www.jambase.com/Articles/1238...r-60000-Orders
**Organizers have changed the on sale date to February 28 at 10 a.m. CT and will now forego an online presale. The note on Dead50.net reads, "Wow! We’re excited (and humbled) to discover that your enthusiasm for Fare Thee Well matches our own! We have received an overwhelming number of mail order ticket requests. In an effort to honor the history and spirit of the Grateful Dead, we are going to try to fill as many of these orders as possible. This means there will be no other pre-sales. In order to give the good folks at GDTS TOO time to sort through the 60,000+ (!) envelopes received so far the new public on sale is Feb 28th @ 10 a.m. CST via Ticketmaster." Fare Thee Well co-promoter Peter Shapiro's Relix Magazine reveals that the 60,000+ envelopes are "requesting an estimated 350,000+ tickets for the three nights." We knew these shows would be popular with fans, but not to that level.**

I'm shocked that this would be news to anyone. They'll probably add shows.

[Digital_Man]

That's all well and good but technically Mickey Hart was not an original member. He was in the band early on but he wasn't even on their first album. That's like saying Martin Barre was an original member of Jethro Tull.

Anyway, I know the band were very big in the late eighties and on but does anyone know what sized venues they were playing in the seventies?

Anyway, yeah I'll bet they could sell out all three nights at a sixty thousand seat stadium. They could probably sell out ten nights. Here's the thing though out of say 100,000 attendees probably only about 10,000 of them(if that)own any official studio albums by the band. For all the thousands of fans of the GD they are one band where their popularity is not reflected in their album sales(unlike say Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin or U2). For many it's all about the experience and hanging out with their buddies and getting high(unfortunately). To many(but of course not to all)the music is secondary.

[Dan Marsh]

I doubt they will add more shows.

Weir and Lesh hate each other.....I am surprised we are even getting three shows.

[Grimjack]

Anyway, I know the band were very big in the late eighties and on but does anyone know what sized venues they were playing in the seventies?

Big ones such as Kezer Stadium, Boston Garden, Philly Spectrum, Roosevelt Stadium etc. and plenty of mid-sized venues as well.

Anyway, yeah I'll bet they could sell out all three nights at a sixty thousand seat stadium. They could probably sell out ten nights. Here's the thing though out of say 100,000 attendees probably only about 10,000 of them(if that)own any official studio albums by the band. For all the thousands of fans of the GD they are one band where their popularity is not reflected in their album sales(unlike say Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin or U2).

Your point being? And your 10:1 ratio of attendees to studio album purchases comes from where please?

For many it's all about the experience and hanging out with their buddies and getting high(unfortunately). To many(but of course not to all)the music is secondary.

It's unfortunate that your experience(s) have given you this impression--at which Dead show(s) did you observe this occurring?

[Mister Triscuits]

That's all well and good but technically Mickey Hart was not an original member. He was in the band early on but he wasn't even on their first album. That's like saying Martin Barre was an original member of Jethro Tull.

Not quite. Mickey Hart wasn't a replacement for an original member like Martin Barre was. This event will be all of the surviving original members plus a guy who came onboard just slightly later.

[Spiral]

Not quite. Mickey Hart wasn't a replacement for an original member like Martin Barre was. This event will be all of the surviving original members plus a guy who came onboard just slightly later.

And he's been a core member and vital part of the group ever since, just like Martin. The spirit of the thing is what matters more than the technical phrasing... or else maybe the very beginning is all a hazy blur by now anyway.

[Digital_Man]

Big ones such as Kezer Stadium, Boston Garden, Philly Spectrum, Roosevelt Stadium etc. and plenty of mid-sized venues as well.


Your point being? And your 10:1 ratio of attendees to studio album purchases comes from where please?


It's unfortunate that your experience(s) have given you this impression--at which Dead show(s) did you observe this occurring?

To answer the last one that is my opinion based on observation but it is a well known fact that many if not most GD fans are really into bootlegged releases(official and unofficial) as opposed to studio recordings. I never attended a show and don't particularly care to but I have heard stories.

To answer the second question I am basing that on the discrepancy between their concert sizes and album sales. They could and can play huge stadiums like PF and LZ but unlike those two they don't have one album that has sold more than 2 million copies. That is a huge discrepancy and the basis for my statement.

[3LockBox]

For many it's all about the experience and hanging out with their buddies and getting high(unfortunately). To many(but of course not to all)the music is secondary.

I know a lot of guys who would admit that that was a major part of it... that and the bathing optional part.

[profusion]

Considering this is "the last roundup" and not part of a tour, it's not difficult at all to understand how they sold out three nights at Soldier Field. People will be coming from around the world for this one. I'm not a Dead fan, but it's cool that they're putting a final period on it like this. Hasn't Weir had health problems recently?

[Dan Marsh]

I'll be watching this on the webcast, of which I am sure there will be on.

Yes, Weir had a health scare late last year but not much is known about it.

Lesh had a liver transplant a number of years ago, but seems to be in good health now.