Get Ready For Dead Ahead 2025 With A Spotify Playlist Featuring Bobby Weir’s Curated Lineup
Don’t miss the once-in-a-lifetime musical event in Riviera Cancún, Mexico.
By Team JamBase Dec 20, 2024 • 12:40 pm PST
Photo by Alive Coverage
Dead Ahead Festival returns to the Moon Palace Resort located along the scenic shores of Riviera Cancún, Mexico January 9-13, 2025. Curated by Grateful Dead/Dead & Company guitarist Bobby Weir, the five-day musical celebration features an all-star lineup of performers paying tribute to the Dead’s legendary songbook.
The festival’s cornerstone will be three nights of specially curated “Dead Ahead” collaborations featuring Weir alongside Sturgill Simpson, Rick Mitarotonda, Jeff Chimenti, Oteil Burbridge, Don Was, and Jay Lane.
These once-in-a-lifetime performances will be enhanced by special appearances from Brittney Spencer, Grace Bowers, and very special guest Brandi Carlile.
Dead Ahead 2025 Packages Available Now
The musical offerings extend beyond the Dead Ahead collaborations, with Simpson assuming his Johnny Blues Skies persona for his own set and Oteil & Friends delivering two full sets, including one dedicated to celebrating the music of Jerry Garcia. The lineup also features Trampled by Turtles performing the music of Old In The Way, alongside performances by Joy Oladokun and Neal Francis. Dead Ahead recently announced the addition of guitarist Tom Hamilton who will perform with Oteil & Friends, solo and with his new band.
Weir has close ties through Dead & Company to Burbridge, Chimenti and Lane, as well as Was who along with Chimenti and Lane is a member of Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros. Sturgill Simpson and Goose guitarist Rick Mitarotonda (who were part of the band honoring the Grateful Dead at the Kennedy Center Honors) both performed with Bobby as participants in the first Dead Ahead.
Photo by Alive Coverage
Photo by Alive Coverage
Fellow singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, a newcomer to the Dead scene, shared the stage with Weir during Wynonna Judd’s set at Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend destination event in Mexico in 2023. Simpson, Spencer and Carlile have performed together in various capacities over the years. Grace Bowers, the 18-year-old Guitar phenom, will be collaborating with Weir for the first time. Brittney Spencer has performed alongside Weir several times, notably onstage at Radio City Music Hall celebrating the 50th anniversary of Weir’s solo album, Ace.
Spencer can be heard performing the Grateful Dead’s “Looks Like Rain” alongside Weir at the above-mentioned Radio City Music Hall concert via a playlist featuring all of the Dead Ahead 2025 performers. The playlist loosely follows the Dead Ahead 2025 performance schedule, with three live cuts from Neal Francis kicking off the set, culminating with a cover of “Strawberry Letter 23.” Oteil Burbridge follows Francis, including a live track recorded in Mexico at Dead Ahead 2024. Hamilton comes next with live recordings from Mexico in 2023.
Joy Oladokun’s songwriting and musicianship can then be heard on songs sampling her recently releases and a live Spotify Singles session. Among the Trampled By Turtles selections is their cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Brown-Eyed Women” from the “Dear Jerry” memorial concert held in 2015.
Sturgill Simpson’s eclectic catalog is highlighted by songs from his new Johnny Blue Skies album, his fierce Sound & Fury soundtrack and “Juanita” from his concept album The Ballad of Dood and Juanita featuring Willie Nelson. A trio of Brandi Carlile live performances recorded in different locations give a sampling of her live prowess and penchant for collaboration.
The playlist rolls on with Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge ripping through a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Going To California,” along with two originals from their newly released debut album, Wine On Venus. Rick Mitarotonda is represented by his projects outside of Goose, Vasudo and Orebolo, the latter played at Dead Ahead 2024 and can be heard covering “Ship Of Fools” on the playlist.
Bobby Weir makes appearances throughout the playlist. Check out his mashup of “Eyes Of The World” and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and his solo standout “Only A River” backed by his Wolf Bros. cohorts, as well as Bobby’s take on “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” from Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday concert.
Get ready for Dead Ahead 2025 by spinning the Spotify playlist below highlighting the Bobby Weir-curated lineup headed to Mexico next year.
The AAA Four Diamond-Awarded Moon Palace Cancún serves as the perfect backdrop for this intimate musical experience, offering guests luxury accommodations just steps away from the state-of-the-art beachfront concert venue. Festival goers will experience gourmet all-inclusive dining, 24-hour room service, and a wealth of amenities including the opulent AWE-Spa and a 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.
Beyond the nightly performances on the beach, attendees can look forward to daytime pool parties and a variety of curated resort activities. The festival’s location also provides easy access to the Yucatan Peninsula’s natural wonders and cultural sites, with opportunities for adventures like cenote diving, visits to the ancient ruins of Chichen Itza, and catamaran sailing to Isla Mujeres.
All-inclusive packages for Dead Ahead Festival 2025 are available to book through deadaheadfestival.com.
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