The Dead is the current incarnation of the iconic jam band the Grateful Dead, fronted by Jerry Garcia from 1965 up until his death in 1995. The band is composed of the surviving original members of the Grateful Dead: Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann.

After Garcia’s death, the band’s remaining members temporarily toured under the moniker The Other Ones before officially switching their name to The Dead. Under the new title, they toured in 2003 and 2004 before splitting to pursue various side projects. RatDog is the primary solo band for Weir, while Lesh frequently performs with his project, Phil Lesh and Friends.

The Dead reformed in 2008 to perform several benefit events for then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. The special concerts fueled speculation about an official reunion, which was confirmed for spring and summer 2009. The Dead remains a popular draw among core audience, called “Deadheads,” with fans often seeking tickets to multiple concerts per tour.