Thousands gather in San Francisco to celebrate Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir’s life

Thousands of fans, friends, and family converged on San Francisco’s Civic Center on Saturday to pay tribute to Bob Weir, the revered guitarist and co-founder of the legendary Grateful Dead, who passed away last week at the age of 78.

The public memorial saw an eclectic gathering, from music icons Joan Baez and John Mayer speaking on a makeshift stage, to a spiritual opening by four Buddhist monks offering a prayer in Tibetan. Mourners laid long-stemmed red roses at an altar adorned with photographs and candles, penning heartfelt notes expressing their love and gratitude for his musical journey.

Many messages included poignant requests for Weir to greet fellow founding members, singer-guitarist Jerry Garcia, who died in 1995, and bass guitarist Phil Lesh, who passed in 2024. The sentiment was echoed by attendees like Ruthie Garcia, a fan since 1989 with no relation to Jerry, who stated: "I’m here to celebrate Bob Weir. Celebrating him and helping him go home."

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The celebration drew a vibrant cross-section of fans, from those sporting traditional dreadlocks and tie-dye, some relying on walkers, to young couples and men in their twenties. One father brought his six-year-old son, keen to impart a love for live music and the close-knit Deadhead community to the next generation.

A native of the Bay Area, Weir joined the Grateful Dead – then known as the Warlocks – in San Francisco in 1965 at just 17. He was instrumental in writing or co-writing and performing lead vocals on iconic Dead tracks such as 'Sugar Magnolia,' 'One More Saturday Night,' and 'Mexicali Blues.' While often seen as less bohemian than his bandmates, he later adopted a long beard, akin to Garcia’s. The Grateful Dead’s distinctive sound, a fusion of blues, jazz, country, folk, and psychedelia, was characterised by extensive improvisational jams, attracting a devoted following of 'Deadheads' who toured with the band. The group continued for decades after Garcia’s death, evolving into Dead & Company, featuring John Mayer.

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Darla Sagos, who travelled from Seattle for the memorial, noted something wrong with Weir’s declining health after Dead & Company’s San Francisco gigs last summer. "We were hoping that everything was OK and that we were going to get more music from him," she shared. "But we will continue the music, with all of us and everyone that’s going to be playing it." Sagos and her husband, Adam, plan to ensure their one-year-old grandson grows up immersed in the music.

Weir’s passing on January 10 was announced via his Instagram account, confirming he had overcome cancer but succumbed to underlying lung issues. He is survived by his wife and two daughters, who were present at Saturday’s event. His daughter, Monet Weir, described his death as sudden and unexpected, adding that her father had always hoped the music and legacy of the Dead would endure beyond him. "American music, he believed, could unite," she said, concluding with a poignant message: "The show must go on."