Space Opera: Watch Renée Fleming Perform With Dead & Company At Las Vegas Sphere
Dead & Co. also debuted a cover of “The Harder They Come” during Friday’s show.
By Andy Kahn Apr 19, 2025 • 10:25 am PDT
Dead & Company brought out acclaimed opera singer Renée Fleming during their concert Friday at the Las Vegas Sphere. The band also unveiled their cover of Jimmy Cliff’s reggae favorite “The Harder They Come” as part of the eighth show of their 18-date Dead Forever 2025 residency.
Drummer Mickey Hart facilitated Renée Fleming’s participation in last evening’s concert. Hart and Fleming have collaborated several times over the past decades, often with late percussionist Zakir Hussain.
Fleming emerged in the second set, after Hart, drummer Jay Lane and bassist Oteil Burbridge, delivered the “Drums” segment of the show. Fleming improvised vocals over the drone coming from Hart’s deployment of The Beam. As the renowned soprano singer’s ethereal “Space” guest spot ended, guitarists Bob Weir and John Mayer, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, Burbridge and Lane came back and soon delved into “Days Between.”
Watch Fleming and Hart’s collaboration captured by attendees of last night’s Sphere show:
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| 84Westy (See 3 videos) | |
| Dead & Company (See 671 videos) and Renée Fleming (See 4 videos) |
While Hart alerted fans of Fleming’s appearance before the show, the band’s decision to cover “The Harder They Come” for the first time came as a surprise. Sung by Burbridge, the song that was part of Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s solo repertoire, landed in Friday’s first set.
The six-song opening half started with “Alabama Getaway,” “Shakedown Street” and “Althea,” followed by the cover debut. “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” and “Sugaree” filled out the set.
Set two launched with “Cold Rain & Snow,” and continued with “Estimated Prophet,” “Eyes Of The World” and “Row Jimmy” ahead of “Drums/Space.” The post-“Drums/Space” part of the second set consisted of “Days Between,” “Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad” and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” with the first “Ripple” of 2025 falling after the Dead Forever Grateful Dead new broadcast was played.
Dead Forever 2025 continues tonight at the Las Vegas Sphere with show nine of the 18-date residency. Scroll on for Friday’s setlist, The Skinny and additional videos taken at last night’s Sphere concert.
The Skinny
The Setlist |
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Setlist Notes
Setlist info via Phantasy Tour. |
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The Venue |
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Sphere [See upcoming shows] |
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18,600 |
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37 shows |
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The Music |
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6 songs |
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8 songs |
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14 songs |
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1976 |
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4.3 [Gap chart] |
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The Harder They Come |
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The Harder They Come, Ripple |
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Ripple LTP 08/10/2024 (8 Show Gap) |
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The Grateful Dead - 1, American Beauty - 1, Wake of the Flood - 3, Terrapin Station - 1, Shakedown Street - 1, Go To Heaven - 2, Built to Last - 2 |
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Videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8U4nnYqyUULoading tour dates
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