The three nights of Dead & Company concerts at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on July 14, 15, and 16, 2023, were the ultimate finale of “The Final Tour.” The location—the Grateful Dead’s home base—and the significance of the concerts made for an emotional and highly acclaimed run, with the third night being the final show of the band’s career.

The shows were a deep connection to the Bay Area’s musical history, adventurous jamming, and powerful emotional peaks.

Here is a breakdown of all three historic nights:

Night 1: Friday, July 14, 2023

The first night set a powerful tone for the final weekend, with a high-energy setlist full of classic pairings and deep exploration.

The show opened with a statement: “Not Fade Away” (a song used to close many Dead & Company tours) leading into a massive “Shakedown Street,” immediately signaling an atypical, celebratory approach.

The second set opened with the fan-favorite pairing of “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” followed by a moving “He’s Gone.”

Bob Weir delivered deeply emotive versions of both “Wharf Rat” and “Standing on the Moon,” two of his signature ballads.

Night 2: Saturday, July 15, 2023

Night two was perhaps the strongest musical night of the entire three-night run and one of the best shows the band ever played, featuring seamless, extended improvisation.

Highlights of Night 2:

The second set built around a complex sequence of “Playing in the Band” that led into the first verse of “The Other One.”

The night closed with “Ripple,” performed acoustically by John Mayer and Bob Weir, a spiritual and poignant choice that served as the perfect send-off for the last “One More Saturday Night” the band would play.

Night 3: Sunday, July 16, 2023

This was The Final Show for Dead & Company. The setlist was essentially a career retrospective, designed to hit all the emotional notes and bring the eight-year journey to a meaningful close.

Highlights of Night 3:

The final show began with the high-energy classic “Bertha,” a song about survival and coming through it all.

Bassist Oteil Burbridge delivered a moving, masterful vocal on “High Time,” one of the show’s early emotional peaks.

The final song before the encore was Bob Weir’s classic “Sugar Magnolia,” with its soaring “Sunshine Daydream” conclusion.

Final Encores:

• “Truckin'”: A symbolic choice, singing “What a long, strange trip it’s been” to officially begin the farewell.
• “Brokedown Palace”: A profound, bittersweet ballad that was the centerpiece of the encore, bringing many to tears.
• “Not Fade Away”: The last song the band ever played, a nod to their opening song of the run and the timeless Grateful Dead motto: You know our love will not fade away.

Following “Not Fade Away,” the band members—Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, and Jay Lane—took their final bow to thunderous applause. The famous drone light show above Oracle Park closed the night with a massive “Stealie” skull tipping its hat to the crowd.