The Grateful Dead are poised to get a Martin Scorsese-produced documentary for their 50th anniversary taking place this year, but that's not all that the legendary jam band have planned. They've just announced plans to reunite for a few farewell shows this summer.
There will be three gigs, and they will take place at Soldier Field in Chicago from July 3 to 5. The shows are billed "Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of Grateful Dead," and they will feature guitarist Bob Weir, bassist Phil Lesh, pianist Bruce Hornsby, and drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann.
Furthermore, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti (who has been a member of some post-Grateful Dead spinoff bands) will also appear. They will be joined by Phish's Trey Anastasio, who will presumably help to make up for the absence of singer-guitarist Jerry Garcia, who died in 1995.
This is being billed as "the original members' last-ever performance together." Tickets will be initially available through a mail order system starting January 20, followed by an online pre-sale on February 12, and eventually a wide release on February 14.
Below, watch a trailer video for the reunion.
"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 in a press release. "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?"
There will be three gigs, and they will take place at Soldier Field in Chicago from July 3 to 5. The shows are billed "Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of Grateful Dead," and they will feature guitarist Bob Weir, bassist Phil Lesh, pianist Bruce Hornsby, and drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann.
Furthermore, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti (who has been a member of some post-Grateful Dead spinoff bands) will also appear. They will be joined by Phish's Trey Anastasio, who will presumably help to make up for the absence of singer-guitarist Jerry Garcia, who died in 1995.
This is being billed as "the original members' last-ever performance together." Tickets will be initially available through a mail order system starting January 20, followed by an online pre-sale on February 12, and eventually a wide release on February 14.
Below, watch a trailer video for the reunion.
"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 in a press release. "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?"