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Grateful Dead original surviving members plan final shows in July

The Grateful Dead in 1970, clockwise from upper left: Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Mickey Hart and Jerry Garcia.
(Chris Walter / WireImage/ Getty Images)
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Deadheads, prepare for one final pilgrimage.

The surviving members of the stalwart classic-rock band -- Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir -- have booked their final concerts together at Chicago’s Soldier Field on July 3, 4 and 5.

The show, billed as “Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of Grateful Dead,” comes in celebration of their half-century as a band. The shows take place almost 20 years after the last full Grateful Dead show, which happened at the same venue.

In addition to two nightly sets of music, the band will be joined by several fellow musicians they’ve inspired and toured with, including Phish’s Trey Anastasio, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and pianist Bruce Hornsby.

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“Lookin’ forward to this one, oh boy, you bet,” Weir said in a statement. “Let’s see just how much fun we can have this 4th of July.”

The group disbanded in 1995 following the death of founder Jerry Garcia, and pursued many individual and collaborative projects. The surviving members reunited at the 2008 inauguration of President Obama.

In classic Grateful Dead mail-order fashion, tickets will be available first via the band’s website, Dead50.net. The mail-order process begins Jan. 20, with pre-sale on Feb. 12 and general sales Feb. 14.

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