The Grateful Dead Reunite for Final Shows

[Rabs]

For anyone in Chicago

 

Here’s one to circle in the calendar and book some time off work for: the surviving members of The Grateful Dead will reunite for three shows in July to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

 

The shows will feature guitarist Bob Weir, bassist Phil Lesh and percussionists Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann in what is being promoted as the final Dead shows ever.

 

In fact, the concerts are being presented as “Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years Of The Grateful Dead.” They’ll take place at Chicago’s Soldier Field - the last place the band played together in 1995 - on July 3 through 5 and the band will perform two sets of music each night.

 

And who will be stepping in to play guitar in place of the late great Jerry Garcia? None other than Phish’s Trey Anastasio, in what has got to be the most obvious, appropriate and perfect casting move since JJ Abrams phoned up Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford to be in the new Star Wars film. "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," Anastasio said. "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?"

[4Hayden]

I'm Grateful