Dead & Company Offer Residency Debut of Kingfish’s “Supplication” and Tease ‘The White Lotus’ Theme at Sphere, Announce Renée Fleming as Friday Special Guest

Photograph Credit score: Alive Protection

After a three-week break, Lifeless & Firm took the stage at Las Vegas’ Sphere on Thursday night time to set off the second body of their three-tiered 2025 residency. The band’s first stint of the 12 months introduced numerous memorable moments–together with a continued celebration of the legacy of Phil Lesh–and the kick-off efficiency for his or her return forecasted extra fan service: by way of an lively 19-track efficiency, the group provided up a bust-out and residency debut of Kingfish’s “Supplication” and, for the cautious listeners within the crowd, a tease of the theme from The White Lotus.

Lifeless & Firm stormed the stage with a fiery therapy of “Feel Like a Stranger,” launching a fast-paced and targeted first set as they adopted with the higher-spirited, however no much less potent “Uncle John’s Band.” The sextet of Bob Weir, John Mayer, Mickey Hart, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti and Jay Lane wasted little time earlier than merging into “Supplication,” the Weir-led Lifeless offshoot deep-cut that the ensemble carried out solely as soon as earlier than in June 2022. The beautiful medley continued because the band veered right into a repise of “Uncle John’s Band,” then launched the setlist staple dash by way of “Help on the Way,” “Slipknot!” and “Franklin’s Tower,” all artfully segued earlier than a primary body nearer of “Sugar Magnolia.”

Whereas set one was a powerful begin, Lifeless & Firm went massive with set two, packing 12 fan-favorite cuts right into a rapid-fire overview of the Lifeless’s catalog. With the beginning gun of Weir’s “Greatest Story Ever Told,” the band bolted by way of “Bertha,” “China Cat Sunflower,” “I Know You Rider” and an explosive and masterfully exact efficiency of “Terrapin Station,” then turned on, tuned in and dropped into the psychedelic odyssey of “Drums” and “Space.” Within the first motion of this cherished nightly rhythm part highlight, the backbeat of Burbridge, Hart and Lane saluted Mike White’s status drama collection with a surprisingly prolonged snippet of The White Lotus’s haunting theme, by the present’s (now-ex) composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer.

From the far-out “Space,” the group got here crashing all the way down to earth once more with “Wharf Rat.” For the ultimate passage of the set, they turned to a few of the covers most carefully related to the Lifeless, stringing out into Site visitors’s heavy, hazy “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” then slowly constructing to a different energetic peak with The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” and preserving hopes excessive with Bonne Dobson’s enchanting “Morning Dew.” Following the normal classic broadcast snippet that settles attendees in a robust, retrospective headspace, Lifeless & Firm lastly closed out the present with “Sunshine Daydream.”

Lifeless & Firm will return to Sphere tonight, April 18, for the second of three reveals this weekend. One of many night’s oncoming highlights has already been revealed, as percussionist Hart took to his social channels final night time to announce that the massively acclaimed classical vocalist Renée Fleming will lend her abilities to a really particular model of “Drums” and “Space” “I’ve been collaborating with Renée for decades,” Hart wrote on Facebook. “Often with my late beloved brother Zakir Hussain in the mix. Some of the best times of my life.”

For tickets and extra info on Lifeless & Firm’s Sphere residency, go to deadandcompany.com.

Lifeless & Firm
Sphere – Las Vegas
4/17/25
Set I: Really feel Like a Stranger, Uncle John’s Band > Supplication* > Uncle John’s Band, Assistance on the Method > Slipknot! > Franklin’s Tower, Sugar Magnolia
Set II: Best Story Ever Advised, Bertha, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider, Terrapin Station > Drums+ > Area > Wharf Rat, Pricey Mr. Fantasy > Hey Jude, Morning Dew (Bonnie Dobson), Sunshine Daydream
* Sphere debut+ w/ The White Lotus theme tease