Thousands of individuals assembled on Saturday at San Francisco’s Civic Center to honor the memory of Bob Weir, the iconic guitarist and co-founder of the Grateful Dead who passed away last week at the age of 78.
At the event, musicians Joan Baez and John Mayer delivered speeches on an improvised stage in front of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium following a Tibetan prayer by four Buddhist monks. Fans brought long-stemmed red roses and placed them at an altar adorned with pictures and candles. They wrote heartfelt notes on colored paper expressing their admiration and gratitude for the musical journey Weir provided.
Many attendees also sent messages to fellow Grateful Dead co-founders Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh, who had passed away before Weir. Garcia died in 1995, while Lesh passed in 2024.
“I’m here to honor Bob Weir,” stated Ruthie Garcia, a fan since 1989. “Celebrating his life and helping him find peace.”
The celebration drew a diverse crowd, including fans sporting dreadlocks and tie-dye attire, with some using walking aids. Young couples, men in their twenties, and a father bringing his six-year-old son to instill a love for live music and the close-knit Deadhead community in the younger generation were also present.
Weir, a San Francisco native, joined the Grateful Dead, initially known as the Warlocks, in 1965 at just 17 years old. He contributed to Dead classics such as “Sugar Magnolia,” “One More Saturday Night,” and “Mexicali Blues” as a songwriter, vocalist, and lead singer. Despite having a cleaner appearance compared to his bandmates, Weir later adopted a long beard reminiscent of Garcia’s.
The Grateful Dead’s music blended blues, jazz, country, folk, and psychedelia in extensive improvisational performances. Their concerts attracted devoted Deadheads who followed them on tours. Following Garcia’s passing, the band continued to perform for years, eventually evolving into Dead & Company with John Mayer.
Darla Sagos, who flew in from Seattle early on Saturday to attend the public memorial, noted the absence of new tour announcements after Dead & Company’s performances in San Francisco last summer, prompting suspicions among fans. She expressed hope for more music from Weir, whose usual gig schedule hinted at upcoming performances.
The Instagram account of Weir posted a statement announcing his passing on January 10, revealing that he had conquered cancer but ultimately succumbed to underlying lung complications. Survived by his wife and two daughters, who were present at the event, Weir’s passing came as a shock to many, including his daughter Monet Weir, who emphasized his desire for the Dead’s music and legacy to endure beyond his lifetime.
Monet Weir highlighted her father’s belief that American music could serve as a unifying force, stating, “The show must go on.”
