SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — On Saturday, January 17, 2026, thousands of fans gathered at San Francisco's Civic Center to honor the life of Bob Weir, the iconic guitarist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, who passed away the previous week at the age of 78. The event took place in front of the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, where musicians Joan Baez and John Mayer spoke on an improvised stage, following a prayer in Tibetan led by four Buddhist monks. Attendees paid tribute by bringing long-stemmed red roses, some of which were placed at an altar adorned with photographs and candles, while others wrote heartfelt messages on colored paper expressing their gratitude and love for Weir.
Many fans took the opportunity to send messages to Weir's deceased bandmates, including Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh. Garcia, who was also a founding member of the band, passed away in 1995, while Lesh died in 2024. Among the attendees, Ruthie Garcia—a devoted fan since 1989 and not related to Jerry—shared her sentiments, stating, "I’m here to celebrate Bob Weir, celebrating him and helping him go home."
The celebration attracted a diverse crowd, including long-time fans sporting tie-dye attire and dreadlocks, as well as younger couples and families. Some attendees, even bringing their children, aimed to pass down a legacy of love for live music and the vibrant Deadhead community. Bob Weir, who joined the Grateful Dead—originally named the Warlocks—in 1965 at just 17 years old, was known for writing and co-writing timeless classics such as "Sugar Magnolia," "One More Saturday Night," and "Mexicali Blues." While initially presenting a less shaggy appearance than his bandmates, he eventually adopted a long beard resembling Garcia's later in life.
The Grateful Dead blended various musical styles, including blues, jazz, country, folk, and psychedelia, with long improvisational jams. Their concerts became iconic events, drawing dedicated fans who followed the band on tours. Even after Garcia's death, the band continued to evolve, eventually reforming as Dead & Company featuring John Mayer. Darla Sagos, who flew in from Seattle to attend the memorial, recounted her suspicions that something was amiss when no new gigs were announced after Dead & Company’s recent performances in San Francisco. "We were hoping that everything was OK and that we were going to get more music from him," she said. "But we will continue the music, with all of us and everyone that’s going to be playing it."
Sagos and her husband, Adam, expressed enthusiasm for sharing Weir's music legacy with their one-year-old grandson. A statement on Weir's Instagram account confirmed his death on January 10, mentioning that he had previously overcome cancer but succumbed to underlying lung issues. He is survived by his wife and two daughters, who were present at the memorial. Daughter Monet Weir noted that her father's death was abrupt and unexpected, yet he always expressed the hope that both his music and the legacy of the Grateful Dead would endure beyond his lifetime. "The show must go on," Monet Weir affirmed, emphasizing her father’s belief in the unifying power of music.
