Tears were falling as the four surviving 'Grateful Dead' members played their last song on Sunday in front of more than 70, 000 crowd in Chicago's Soldier Field.
Just this weekend, the band ended their 50 year journey with three concerts in Chicago.
Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio, who filled in the original lead guitarist of the band, the late Jerry Garcia, who played his last gig in 1995. Together with the original band members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzman and Jeff Chimenti and Bruce Hornsby who was in keyboards for the Chicago concert.
The legendary musicians started and ended the gig with heartwarming group hugs. They started to hit things up with their trippy "China Cat Sunflower" music, then paired it with "I Know You Rider."
They make the crowd sing to their hearts content with their 'Truckin,' 'Not Fade Away,' 'Touch of Grey' and ended up the second half with the sorrowful song 'Attics of my Life.'
Bass player Lesh told the crowd before playing their last songs, "God bless you all, and thank you for listening."
The drummer Mickey Hart said, "Be kind, Be kind."
It all started in 1965, when 'The Warlocks' rock band that came from San Francisco rename themselves the 'Grateful Dead.' The band toured all over the world with projects left and right. Inspired by country, blues, bluegrass and jazz, the band became the model group for various bands.
But Garcia's sudden death halts Grateful Dead's gigs. On July 9, 1995, the very date of the lead guitarist's death, the band ended their working together as a band.
After 50 years, they decided to hit the stage once again to say their "farewell" to the fans. Their farewell concert was reportedly sold out 70, 844 tickets for the Saturdays' concert. And 70,764 tickets sold for the Fridays' event.
