Dead & Company have officially canceled the group’s destination concerts scheduled to kick off Friday in Riviera Cancun, Mexico.
In a statement released on social media, the band stated that the Jan. 7-10 and 13-16 Playing in the Sand events were canceled by event producers CID Presents over the spike in COVID-19 cases.
“Dead & Company and CID Presents tried everything possible to bring normalcy and to deliver a great experience and amazing music, but with each day it became increasingly clear that canceling is the correct thing to do for the fans and for our crew,” the statement said.
The four-day all-inclusive concert vacation has been plagued with issues due to the surge in COVID-19 cases that has canceled or postponed countless concerts in recent weeks. On Dec. 29, the band offered refunds for anyone concerned about attending the event but hoped to move ahead with two weekends of live music from former Grateful Dead members, as well as John Mayer.
On Tuesday, Dead & Co member Bill Kreutzmann announced he would not attend the shows in Mexico due to health complications. “Playing in the Sand has become my favorite tour stop in recent years and there’s so much about it that’s just so great. And thus, it is with a heavy and still recovering heart that I have to relay a note that I received from my doctor this morning ordering me to sit this one out,” the drummer tweeted on Jan. 4.
Early Thursday (Jan. 6), Dead & Co. socials revealed that frontman John Mayer had tested positive for COVID-19 and would also have to sit out the Mexico events that promised six performances from the band each weekend.
“We came down here to have fun. Unfortunately some of our brothers cannot make it but fun is what we’re going to have,” said Dead & Company’s Bobby Weir in a statement earlier Thursday.
In the same statement, the band said the show would go on with Weir, Mickey Hart, Jeff Chimenti, Oteil Burbridge, Jay Lane and Tommy Hamilton. Special guests and sit-ins were also expected from Margo Price and more.
In Thursday evening’s statement from the band, fans who planned to attend the events were instructed to look out for emails about how to secure refunds. Check out the full statement below.
