Dead & Company could be playing a residency at the Las Vegas Sphere next summer, according to reports.
The New York Post reports the supergroup – consisting of Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann alongside John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti – are in talks for a potential residency that would take place “next summer”. However, it stressed that negotiations are “still in the works and not 100%.”
The Sphere opened in September with a residency featuring U2 playing ‘Achtung Baby’ in full, which was recently extended into March. Phish will be playing a week-long residency later that month, while Beyonce has also reportedly been involved in talks.
Another report by the New York Post has suggested Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, Bon Jovi, and others have “been considered” for residencies as well.
However, insiders in the report also explain that some artists have been put off by the cost of putting on a show at Sphere, which is particularly expensive owing to its huge LCD wraparound screen.
Dead & Company embarked on a supposed “farewell” tour this summer but Weir wrote on Twitter: “Well it looks like that’s it for this outfit; but don’t worry we will all be out there in one form or another until we drop…”
Word of Dead & Company’s disbanding first emerged earlier this year, when in April, Rolling Stone speculated that their North American tour for summer ’22 would be their last. The article cited “sources close to Dead & Company” as their point of reference, as well as recent health issues for Kreutzmann. Weir, however, was quick to deny the rumours, tweeting that the band’s plans to break up were “news to me”.