They are playing exceptionally well but I much prefer listening to Dead & Co over watching them.

Mayer's stage presence is awkward - can't quite put my finger on it.

I like them a lot more that I thought I would. I didn’t see Mayer as a good fit at first but he is doing well. I wished for years that Jimmy Herring would have stayed on.

Agree that Mayer is a good fit. Heard one of the shows from this year and was favorably impressed. Bobby is singing and playing better than he has recently - he used to bug me a lot.

that said, I prefer Phil or JRAD - I would rather hear someone try to reinvent the songs then try and be the Dead

I never saw the Grateful Dead, but I have seen multiple versions of Phil & Friends (including "The Q"); Ratdog; The Dead; Furthur, one of Bill Kreutzmann's bands; Weir solo band at Wanee (surprisingly enjoyable); another Weir trio at Wanee (very boring); Dead & Co last Fall and Phil & The Terrapin Family Band at Wanee this year....probably missed something in there.

I watched a full half of a simulcast of a Dead & Co show last summer from my couch through my stereo and it bored me. It sounded like modern jazz...particularly the keys and bass (Oteil can go there...). It got better in the encore.

I saw them last year at Philips Arena in ATL and it was much better than what I saw on TV and I like it. Can't say it was any better than Phil & family at Wanee this year or previous versions of The Dead, Furthur or Phil & Friends.

I've been surprised by the big bump in popularity of Dead & Co compared to The Dead and the other Dead alumni bands over the last 18 or so years. I know John Mayer's presence is helping a bunch (he was good). I know bringing in Trey and branding the "Fare Thee Well" shows as the Grateful Dead (instead of just The Dead) added momentum to the brand....but I'm still surprised. Mayer does cheeze up the vocals from time to time....no one is perfect.

I'd definitely go again. I saw Robert Plant in Atlanta 10 days ago instead of Dead & Co as I suspect I'll have a chance to see them again and not so sure about Plant.

Pass.
I'm too old for that big a scene.
I much prefer a small local venue to check out one of the many good cover bands.
I'm happy the younger folks get to experience a whiff of what it used to be like.
But this band is not my flavor of sarsaparilla.

Pass.
I'm too old for that big a scene.

I’m feeling that way too these days.

I've caught 2-3 Midwestern shows each year and I've enjoyed each one, some more than others. It seems Oteil gets to solo and sing a little more each year, and I've especially enjoyed that growth.

It is surprising how large of a crowd the band attracts. Phil's present band is more energetic, but they didn't fill a mid-sized theater in Chicago this winter.

I stopped knocking on Mayer after seeing the JM Trio at Crossroads. The guy is one hell of a guitar player, and a versatile one at that.

Transition almost complete, to a Dead legacy band - a school that will carry the music forward with changing line-ups.. Like the "official" Dead cover band. Pretty neat, but not interested - caught a few post Grateful projects, enjoyed but just ended up missing Garcia.

Pretty good representation of post Jerry Dead experiences here.
and no one got injured 😉

I rarely see any live shows preferring to stream my shows these days.
Phil is,as someone said more interpretive and to me more interesting.

And yes,Weir does sound better!

Saw these guys a few weeks ago.
20 bucks.
About 200 people.
Walked home.