The band ended a 50-year career by playing three sold-out concerts at the Soldier Field venue over the Independence Day weekend (03-05Jul15), and it has now emerged they set a new attendance record at their first show on Friday (03Jul15).

Official figures show the band attracted 70,764 fans, breaking the previous record set by Irish rockers U2 in 2009 when they pulled in an audience of 67,936 at Soldier Field.

However, the Grateful Dead's record did not last long as they broke it again on Saturday night (04Jul15) when they pulled in an even bigger crowd of 70,844.

The band closed out the shows with a third gig on Sunday (05Jul15).

A message posted on the venue's Facebook.com page reads, "We were beyond grateful to host over 210,000 fanatic Deadheads at Soldier Field this weekend. Thank you, thank you, thank you for celebrating 50 years of the Grateful Dead with us. Indeed, what a long strange trip it's been."