Dead & Company launched their much anticipated Dead Forever residency at the Sphere Las Vegas Thursday, May 16, treating their fans to a set of favorites, accompanied by spectacular images that engulfed the venue. 

The band made good use of the Sphere’s wraparound LED screens, which as the show opened, featured images of scaffolding that slowly opened to scenes of the Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco where Grateful Dead originated. Throughout the show, the images onscreen changed to include such things as their infamous Wall of Sound audio system, concert posters from over the years, The Dead skeleton and dancing bears.

As for the music, according to setlist.fm, the band kicked things off with The Dead track “Feel Like A Stranger.” The 19-song set also included plenty of other Dead tunes, like “Uncle John’s Band,” “Jack Straw” and “St. Stephen,” plus covers of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” and The Crickets’ “Not Fade Away.”

Dead & Company have two more Sphere shows this weekend, Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18, with the residency scheduled to run through Saturday, July 13. A complete list of dates can be found at deadandcompany.com.

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