Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir is a straight shooter. When I asked him about life after the final “Fare Thee Well” shows in 2015, he told me (via Billboard): “We’ll see. I’ve got some miles left in me, but I’m sure everybody does. I’m the youngest of the guys.”
He wasn’t supposed to say that. The official storyline was that the Dead members would never play together again. Weir wasn’t having it. Later that year, Dead & Company, featuring Weir and drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann — with John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti playing in the band — hit the road.
This week, Rolling Stone posted an article initially titled, “Dead and Company Will Stop Touring After 2022.”
Weir thumbed his nose at the news on Twitter, writing simply, “News to me.”
News to me… https://t.co/Yjf1aCkwRA
— Bobby Weir (@BobWeir) April 8, 2022
Rolling Stone amended the headline with a question mark and noted in an update, “The band itself said in a statement, ‘Dead & Company has made no official decision as to this being their final tour.’”
Deadheads were nonplussed about the news or lack thereof. And some media outlets (like longtime counterculture monitor Relixand music news site Stereogum) wasted no time chiming in with their own takes, in Dead speak. A common refrain: that the tour may be underselling and the rumor was intended to goose ticket sales, or that the magazine’s anonymous source must be high.
See below for reactions from across social media.
Whew. I thought you knew something that I didn’t! #themusicneverstops #wewillsurvive https://t.co/Bqt0l0OxC6
— Bill Kreutzmann (@BKreutzmann) April 8, 2022
I am to understand the point of Dead and Company is that when one band member steps away, they are replaced, and the band keeps playing on. There’s supposed to be a Dead and Company concerts in 2029, 2055, 2072, 2093.
— 90sDeadHead (@90s_dead) April 9, 2022
Breaking: third best Dead cover band calls it quits!
— Spence (@spencecc) April 8, 2022
— f r e e ǝ ǝ ɹ ɟ (@lennytafro) April 9, 2022
Bobby just tweeted that it’s news to him.
Your sources are HIGH.— The Goof!™ 🇺🇦 (@MetsFanInPhilly) April 8, 2022
Perfectly timed news coinciding with today’s start of ticket sales for the summer tour.
— Deebs (@dbellone) April 8, 2022
clearing those stadium concert dates for Goose I see
— Nate (@itsme_nate) April 8, 2022
I knew that story had came straight off the press on Fakedown Street.
— Keef B (@Keef_B_1) April 9, 2022
prob gonna add phil back in and call it grateful dead
— Cloudchord (@Cloudchord) April 8, 2022
— Tiffany™🌊⚡️💀 (@fedupwithbs513) April 9, 2022
Thank you Bobby! We love you and our love will not fade away.
— Charles Hargraves (@surflawyer47) April 8, 2022
If you get confused, just listen to the music play!!)))
— Jill Broderick (@betterdays2021) April 8, 2022
Sources say the music never stops.
— Paul Zundel (@PaulZundel) April 8, 2022