There’s something to be said about going out on top. Of course, it’s natural to wonder why stop now, what really happened, how did we get to the final show? Regardless, after last night’s finale for Dead & Company the band reached a pinnacle. Playing as a cohesive unit throughout the night, the arc of years spent together on stage showed in spades. From start to finish the grandness of the Grateful Dead spirit was alive and well, but in an authentic way, it was a musical palate unique to Dead & Company.
Having seen the band live at their start in 2016 and taking in the show last night at Oracle Park in San Francisco, it was a clearly evolved experience shared with a reported 40,000+ others. This outfit gradually grew its sound to fit the stadium vibe, something many would have said was not possible seven years prior. Infused with bright jams, thick grooves, and a constantly shared spotlight across band members, Dead & Company signed off in style. With no clear statement from the band as to why they are calling it quits on touring, and after such a vibrant summer tour, it surely begs the question if it’s the end or beginning.
The energy was palpable when founding Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart took the stage Sunday evening alongside bandmates Jay Lane, Jeff Chimenti, Oteil Burbridge, and John Mayer. Wasting no time, the band immediately launched into an upbeat, classic pairing of “Bertha”> “Good Lovin”. Guitarist John Mayer seemed especially responsive on “Bertha” right away, filling spaces in the music with his sharp brand of bluesy psychedelia. John’s dedication to detail, to both play the song as well as play it in his own way is a major part of the evolved Dead & Company sound.
A tight “Loser” followed before a highpoint of the night as bassist Oteil Burbridge took vocal lead on “High Time”. Drummers Mickey Hart and Jay Lane took the next lead guiding the group into “Samson and Delilah”, always fitting on a Sunday. Next up was “Althea”, a major climax of the show. Knowing this was such an important tune for Mayer seemed to amplify the song choice as his solos dove deep capturing the attention of his bandmates and the crowd. A ripping “Dear Mr. Fantasy” with a “Hey Jude Reprise” kept the energy elevated before the first set closer in “Bird Song”. The band really took a breath here and showed how far they have once again come as a band playing both in the spirit of the Grateful Dead, but uniquely their own. This was the most free-form improvisational musical played thus far in the show putting the intimate interplay of keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and John Mayer on display. Watching those two feed off each other, note by note, it seems impossible they won’t play together again at some point down the road.
With so many choices left in the playbook, set two dropped in style with a monster “Help on the Way”> “Slipknot!”> “Franklin’s Tower”. The beloved triad got the treatment at Oracle Park gradually building a thick sound around the tension and release themes found in each distinct part of each of the three songs. It was a fitting way to kick off the set in high gear, which only kept going with a definitive pairing of “Estimated Prophet” > “Eyes of the World”. Another standout moment of music from the night, both tunes were played with emotion, and both showcased a bit more exploration from the norm. “Eyes of the World” was especially special with Mayer and Burbidge stepping up at different times to solo, lead, and inch the music into new spaces.
The second set took on a feel of four distinct parts with the five aforementioned tunes as the first chunk standing as an arguable tour highlight followed by a psychedelic journey into “Drums” and “Space”. Oteil started with Mickey and Jay at first, adding bass notes to a kaleidoscope of sounds that eventually moved through Mickey’s numerous drums and percussive instruments into his beloved Beam. It’s a sight to behold in person, an audible experience Mickey has been bringing to fans uniquely since he first sat with the band in 1967.
Part three capped the final set of Dead & Company-for now anyway, with a heart-wrenching version of “Days Between”. The energy had been mostly high all night, with barely a so-called slow moment to be found. However, here the pause fit and Bob Weir paid a fitting and respectful tribute to a song once sung by the late great Jerry Garcia. It felt the next song would likely be something up-tempo and sure enough the rumblings of “Cumberland Blues” filled the air. We’d have to check in with Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux for accuracy, but I am not familiar with this song in this placement in Grateful Dead history. It seemed to be more of a first-set song, but this is a great example of Dead & Company bringing their unique interpretation of the music to the center. Just as “Days Between” fit after “Space”, “Cumberland Blues” fit perfectly into this slot as well before Bob took the set home with his timeless classic penned with Robert Hunter, “Sugar Magnolia”.
The final piece, the last goodbye if you will jumped off with a proper choice in “Truckin’” before a beautifully played “Brokedown Palace”. How fitting is that? And to completely close it out Dead & Company refrained “Not Fade Away”, which is what they opened the three-night Oracle Park run with last Friday night, walking offstage with fans clapping and singing in unison as they have since the good ole’ days of the Grateful Dead. Although when the drones came back out as they had after “Space” earlier in the show you knew it was 2023 and not 1973. What a sight to behold instead of a more traditional fireworks display as a coordinated light display lit up the night with dancing bears, Uncle Sam tipping his hat, and Steal Your Face artwork strewn across the San Francisco sky.
My hats to Dead and Company as well. Something special happened this tour, and last night was not a sad, emotional affair of saying goodbyes. Quite the contrary, the music endures and continues to take on new levels of inspiration decades after the end of Grateful Dead thanks to those that practice it. I guess that goes to show that even though it looks like it’s the end again with Dead and Company bidding us goodnight, maybe it is just the beginning after all.
