We’re continually inspired by our customers and the complex data challenges they’re overcoming to make what was previously impossible possible. This blog series spotlights some of our most inspiring customers and why they chose WEKA.

One of my favorite parts of working at WEKA is the thrill of helping world-class creators, makers, innovators, and artists overcome seemingly impossible technological challenges to break new ground in their respective industries.

Among the most dazzling and recognizable displays of WEKA’s capabilities has been the work we’ve done at Sphere in Las Vegas – first with U2 – and more recently with Dead & Company.

That’s right. WEKA was the Official Technology Partner providing the data backbone for the iconic band’s Dead Forever residency at Sphere, which consisted of 30 dazzling shows between May and August 2024.

Why They’re Cool

Composed of the remaining original members of The Grateful Dead and John Mayer, Dead & Company has been breathing new life into The Dead’s vast cannon of iconic and beloved music on tour for nearly a decade. But touring takes a toll, and the band reluctantly announced that its 2023 tour would be its last.

Then came Sphere. The opportunity to bring 20,000 fans to the band each night and dazzle them with a state-of-the-art, fully immersive live audio-visual experience brought The Dead back to the stage, delighting Deadheads worldwide.  

Throughout The Grateful Dead’s storied career, the band has always equally prioritized making great music and delivering an immersive concert experience for its fans. Even before the advent of modern audio/visual wonders like the giant LED screens with 16K x 16K resolution and 36,000 individual audio channels that are Sphere’s hallmark, the band’s shows have always included eye-popping visual effects that left audiences speechless.

Together with Dead & Company’s production partners at Treatment Studios, WEKA helped to shift this tradition into overdrive at Sphere.

Why They Chose WEKA

Creating a visual feast that could support the improvisational nature of the band’s live show required rendering a massive amount of video data in a tight production window—to the tune of 1.5 petabytes—and then amplifying it onto Sphere’s giant spherical screens in 16Kx16K resolution and 100GB speeds.

“When we knew we were getting involved with Dead & Company at the Sphere, the only solution that popped into my mind at the time was WEKA,” said Brandon Kraemer of Treatment Studios, Technical Director for Dead Forever. “They made working with what were once unthinkable resolutions and file sizes a near-effortless experience. ”

The WEKA Data Platform delivered the performance, scale, and flexibility needed to achieve these feats. It also unleashed their creativity, never once limiting the show’s potential.

“Technology is at its best when it gets out of the way of the creative process, and that is exactly what WEKA did for us at Sphere,” Kraemer continued. “No other solution could prove to be as fast, flexible or reliable.”

Watch this Space

Dead & Company’s Dead Forever residence may have concluded, but the band has said farewell before, so you never know if another revival is just around the corner. For WEKA’s part, we were thrilled to support the band and their production partners in bringing their ambitious Sphere residency to life and can’t wait to see what comes next.

Want to dive deeper into Dead & Company’s story?
Download the Case Study