It is July 5^th at 6 PM and 118 degrees in Las Vegas. My wife and I traverse the land bridge across Las Vegas Blvd. into the air-conditioned confines of the Venetian Hotel. Once inside this luxury resort, we follow the signs to the bridge that connects this glamorous hotel to the Sphere. We follow a small crowd along the air-conditioned path into the most amazing concert venue I have seen in my 53 years of being in the crowd. The Sphere was celebrating its one-year anniversary. The interior color scheme is a variety of blue, black and green. In the sky above our heads were amazing shapes hanging from the rafters. They twirled and danced independent of any background music. The escalators rose to each new level transporting fans who, many like me, were getting our first looks of this venue. What first struck me was the width of the concourse that wraps around each level. It afforded hundreds of people the opportunity to move freely around without a hint of claustrophobia. There were plenty of opportunities to purchase food, beverages and merchandise. I ascertained the situation in need of a beer. In front of me were a bank of refrigerators with swinging doors like you find in most convenience stores. Inside these coolers were rows of beers, with a great variety of domestic, imported and craft beers. Above the coolers were signs promoting the beverages and their cost. I grabbed my choice and followed the fast-moving line to an attendant who instructed me to place my drink on a metal apparatus which read the beer’s code and automatically priced my choice on a screen. I was guided to tap my card and in seconds I was off with my beverage at a minimal of time and effort. I followed the signs to my section and entered a short tunnel that turns left and then right into the venue. Here’s where the magic began.

Promptly at 7:35 PM Dead and Company take the stage way down below. Although they appear to be the size of scurrying ants, they are in fact larger than life tonight. The show begins, as has become customary, when the wall façade breaks into two along a jagged edge which becomes the Dead’s trademark lightning bolt. The separating façade reveals a smooth circular canvas which would transform this place into a most unforgettable experience.  They began zooming in with a view from outer space towards Earth, focusing down to California, then closer to San Fransisco and ultimately the Haight-Ashbury section of San Fransisco in the mid-sixties. Then the music began and the familiar guitar licks of Cold Rain and Snow got the crowd cheering and up on their feet.

Throughout the evening, the sound was impeccably balanced. I have worn hi-fidelity ear plugs to shows for nearly ten years and had planned to bring them with me but forgot them back at the hotel. After 800+ shows, it is a necessity for me to keep my tinnitus ringing to a manageable level. I am happy to report that I was able to manage the sound level due to the 167,000 individually amplified loudspeakers strategically spaced throughout this magnificent theatre. Throughout the evening’s performance, the sound never overpowered the senses and made for a most comfortable and enjoyable show. For those interested in the complete set list from this or any other show from their residency, go to setlistfm.com and search Dead and Company.

The first set of seven classic Dead tunes lasted a little more than an hour. The video performance was totally captivating. A steady stream of still and moving art paraded across the ceiling of the arena. There were many close ups of the band members performing both within the artwork and all by themselves. There were times where the images grew to the size of the building and then came right at you, where it felt like you were being absorbed by what you saw.

Intermission was slightly quicker than the norm of their outdoor shows. The band returned to the stage slightly after Nine PM for an eleven-song performance including the “encore”. The second half started with the classic combination of China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider and included a classic Dark Star. The spacey tune was accompanied by a flowing Star Wars themed display of the Cosmos, captivating the audience. Perhaps the most interesting portion of the show was the standard Drums>Space, a staple of Dead shows for decades. What used to be a signal to run to the restrooms has become an integral part of the show. This is not your father’s drum solo but a percussive assault of the senses. If you were lucky enough to be seated during this performance you felt your seat rumble, lean and punctuate every thundering beat from the percussion section. It was something that I have not experienced in any concert that I have ever attended.

Coming out of the Drums>Space performance the band started slow with Looks Like Rain and then picked up the pace on Brown Eyed Women before falling back to a danceable Fire on the Mountain, complete with drummer Micky Hart rapping his own verses, and then Throwing Stones. All throughout the performance, the screen changed with the songs, at one time projecting the 1974 Wall of Sound with screens on the left and right showcasing various members of the band in performance.

The band then featured news clips regarding their early days, confirming the lasting impression they made on the culture of the time. This led to their ‘encore’ of Not Fade Away, a fan favorite. The performance concluded around 11:15 PM and then the fans began their descent to the concourses and the escalators and stairs. The crowd was euphoric and well behaved as they congregated together in their descent to the bridge which led to the Venetian hotel or the superheated streets below.

A nice sampling of what you can expect at this kind of show is a performance of Shakedown Street and the visual presentation that is unique to this venue..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SMnGgyJOLo

The Dead is now the third major act to perform at this multimedia wonder. It all kicked off last fall when the Irish band, U2 took up residence at the Sphere for forty performances. This was followed in April by Phish’s four-night stay. The Sphere also hosted the two-day NHL Draft in the middle of the Dead and Company string of weekends. When they conclude on August 10. Dead and Company will have given thirty performances, only outdone by U2.

When you hear that your favorite band is coming to the Sphere(sphere.com), don’t think twice, get the tickets!! You will not regret this and you WILL thank me!