On Saturday, a multitude of individuals gathered at San Francisco's Civic Center to pay homage to the life of Bob Weir, the legendary guitarist and founding member of the Grateful Dead who passed away at the age of 78 last week. Musicians Joan Baez and John Mayer addressed the crowd from a makeshift stage in front of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, following a prayer in Tibetan offered by four Buddhist monks. Fans carried long-stemmed red roses, placing some at an altar adorned with photos and candles. They penned notes on colored paper, expressing their admiration and gratitude for the journey he had taken.
Several attendees requested that he say hello to fellow singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia and bass guitarist Phil Lesh, fellow founding members who had preceded him in death. Garcia passed away in 1995; Lesh in 2024. "I'm here to celebrate Bob Weir," said Ruthie Garcia, a fan since 1989, who is not related to Jerry. "Celebrating him and helping him find his way home."
Saturday's celebration was filled with fans sporting long dreadlocks and tie-dye clothing, some using walkers. However, there were also young couples, men in their 20s, and a father who brought his 6-year-old son to pass on a love of live music and the tight-knit Deadhead community to the next generation.
Weir, a Bay Area native, joined the Grateful Dead - originally known as the Warlocks - in 1965 in San Francisco at just 17 years old. He wrote or co-wrote and sang lead vocals on Dead classics such as "Sugar Magnolia," "One More Saturday Night," and "Mexicali Blues." Although he didn't have the same shaggy appearance as other band members, he later adopted a long beard like Garcia's.
The band's music blended blues, jazz, country, folk, and psychedelia in lengthy improvisational jams, attracting avid Deadheads who followed them on tours. They continued to perform for decades after Garcia's death, morphing into Dead & Company with John Mayer.
Darla Sagos, who flew out of Seattle early Saturday morning to attend the public mourning, said she suspected something was up when no new gigs were announced after Dead & Company played three nights in San Francisco last summer. It was unusual since his calendar often indicated where he would be playing next. "We were hoping that everything was OK and that we would get more music from him," she said. "But we will continue the music with all of us and everyone who will be playing it."
Sagos and her husband, Adam Sagos, have a one-year-old grandson who will grow up knowing the music. A statement on Weir's Instagram account announced his passing on Jan. 10. It said he had beaten cancer but succumbed to underlying lung issues. He is survived by his wife and two daughters, who were present at Saturday's event.
His death was sudden and unexpected, said daughter Monet Weir, but he had always wished for the music and legacy of the Dead to outlast him. He believed that American music could unite people, she said. "The show must go on," Monet Weir said.
