News: Grateful Dead “Core Four” Announce 50th Anniversary Celebration Details

–Written by Kevin Madert

Fifty years ago, a group of teenagers from California started a band called The Warlocks. After playing only a smattering of shows (including their very first one at a pizza parlor) they changed their name to the Grateful Dead, and…well, you know the rest. Now, after months of swirling rumors, the details of the group’s half-century anniversary celebration have finally solidified. The “Core Four” (guitarist/vocalist Bob Weir, bassist/vocalist Phil Lesh, and percussionists Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart) will play together one last time for three nights over July 4th weekend at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Appropriately enough, this is the last venue the original lineup played before the death of longtime vocalist/guitarist Jerry Garcia.

As if that wasn’t enough, they’ll be joined by some very special guests, most notably, Trey Anastasio (lead singer/guitarist of fellow über-jam band Phish). Rounding out the supergroup is RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and pianist/former GD collaborator Bruce Hornsby. Tickets aren’t on sale quite yet, but information on those dates and times, along with all the other important information regarding the event, can be found at www.dead50.net.