After earlier hedging on whether the group might be coming to an end, Dead and Company issued a statement on social media Friday announcing a farewell tour for summer 2023.
The wording of the announcement suggests that details of the tour are far from final but that group members wanted to get out ahead of the news leaking with an official declaration that Dead and Company is coming to an end.
“As we put the finishing touches on booking venues, and understanding that word travels fast, we wanted to be the first to let you know that Dead & Company will be hitting the road next summer for what will be our final tour,” the statement read.
“Stay tuned for a full list of dates for what will surely be an exciting, celebratory, and heartfelt last run of shows. With love and appreciation, Dead & Company.”
The group’s Instagram post was accompanied by a dewy rose graphic and the words “more information coming soon.”
ned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram/p/Ci3DlzVuBVB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">A post shared by Dead & Company (@deadandcompany)
Early in 2022, there had been rumors that the band — a contemporary offshoot of the Grateful Dead, with John Mayer as co-frontman — would be hanging it up after this past summer’s tour. It turns out the speculation was off by a year, with one more extended chance to see the band still ahead.
In response to an April 2022 report in Rolling Stone that the group would cease touring after this year, the band pumped the brakes on that news, saying then that “Dead & Company has made no official decision as to this being their final tour.” Bob Weir even posted on Twitter: “News to me.”
Health concerns have been an issue in keeping the full lineup intact, with original Grateful Dead drummerBill Kreutzmannsometimes having to miss shows. On the summer 2022 tour, he was out of the lineup for six straight shows before delighting fans by returning for the tour-closing shows at New York’s Citi Field.
