Last Grateful Dead show breaks Chicago stadium ticket record

Will said he’s been to precisely 3,820 concerts in his lifetime, 220 or so of them being Grateful Dead shows. The second half of the set was highlighted by Truckin’, Terrapin Station, Cassidy and Not Fade Away. For devotees of the enduring classic-rock band, then, the Dead’s farewell stand at Chicago’s Soldier Field over the holiday weekend truly marked the end of an era.

The band performs their final concert at Soldier Field on Sunday night. With so much well-documented history and an imposing repertoire, the Dead boast loads of secret handshakes with iconic catchphrases, poetic lyrics, idiosyncratic musicianship and truly universal imagery. “He was a total humanitarian. But I couldn’t miss it; I had to be here”. Bob Weir singing his heart out, honoring his longtime band-mate and friend, and doing a song justice that if I might say, is next to impossible to do after the owner of the song left this world physically back in 1995. “I have spent my life/Seeking all that’s still unsung/Bent my ear to hear the tune/And closed my eyes to see”, Weir sang, strumming an acoustic guitar. “It was incredible”.

The energy in the stadium was through the roof as Bob Weir took to the mic for the following “Estimated Prophet” before digging into the title track from the band’s last record, Built to Last.

What if, along with “We hold these truths…”, “Ain’t I a woman?” and “Two paths diverged..”, American high school students were made equally familiar with lines like, “Reach out your hand if your cup be empty”.

BILL KREUTZMANN: The drugs played the worst, the baddest part of that.

Trey Anastasio of Phish and Bruce Hornsby were among the guest musicians.

The four surviving members of the band ended their 50-year-run this weekend with three Chicago concerts. Little bit of blues.

Finally, the band’s core demographic has reached an age where for a lot of them, money isn’t really an issue.

The lights at the Empire State Building’s LED tower were synchronized to the band’s live performance of “U.S. Blues“. “I came here to see the motherf***ing Grateful Dead!” “We’re gonna pound them”, he exclaimed. Now 69, He would be the first to acknowledge, what a long odd trip it’s been.

‘Excited and happy and sad’. After Jerry died, I said, “Eureka!”

“There will be some sadness”.

After seeing the two warm-up shows in Santa Clara, Calif. last weekend, Domenic Petitta came in from Pittsburgh for the last dance.

The wrapup of the Dead’s touring career hasn’t been a total love fest. And that’s what – that’s how you feel about every day.

“The feeling we have here – remember it, take it home and do some good with it”, Hart said in closing.