See Dead and Company Perform ‘Box of Rain' With Phil Lesh's Son Grahame at Dead 60 Show
The Bob Weir and John Mayer-fronted band have sparingly performed the Lesh-sung American Beauty classic, one of the bassist's signature songs, since their inception in 2015; Dead and Company played 'Box of Rain' only one other time in the past three years, at their first Sphere weekend since Lesh's death in October 2024.
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Grahame Lesh — who led an all-star band, similar to his father's Phil & Friends, at a pre-Dead 60 concert Thursday at San Francisco's Pier 48 — handled lead vocals and wielded his father's bass for 'Box of Rain,' then stuck around to join Dead and Company for a rendition of 'Playing in the Band.'
Friday night's opening concert of the Dead 60 weekend took place on what would have been Jerry Garcia's 83rd birthday on August 1. As the shows at the Golden Gate Park mark the Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary, Garcia was also remembered as his daughter Trixie appeared onstage to introduce Dead and Company, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Billy Strings, who opened the show Friday, later joined Dead and Company on 'Wharf Rat':
Dead and Company will return to Golden Gate Park, where the Grateful Dead staged at least 14 gigs spanning from 1967 to 1991, on Saturday and Sunday night.
Rolling Stone spoke with Bobby Weir about the band potentially reuniting for the 60th anniversary, which Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart discussed before Lesh died.
'I think when Phil checked out, so did that notion, because we don't have a bass player who's been playing with us for 60 years now. And that was the intriguing prospect.… I think you need somebody holding down the bottom. Phil had all kinds of ideas that were pretty much unique to him. I grew up with Phil holding down the bottom in his unique way,' Weir said.
He added: 'I suppose I could go back out. I wouldn't put anybody in his place, so it would be a trio at this point. It'd be me and two drummers. I'd have to think about that. I haven't thought about it — it's just now occurring to me that it's a possibility that we could do that, since you asked.… I guess we'll just see what the three of us can pull together.'
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San Francisco Chronicle
3 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
This ‘Top Gun' star visited S.F. for its Grateful Dead 60th anniversary celebration
Actor Miles Teller and television personality Andy Cohen were among the tens of thousands of Deadheads flowing through Golden Gate Park last weekend to celebrate the lasting legacy of the Grateful Dead. The two were photographed together during one of Dead & Company's sold-out shows at the Polo Field, posing with black sunglasses against the backdrop of the event's packed crowd. Cohen, host of Bravo's late-night talk show 'Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,' wore a yellow and grey tie dye hoodie, while the ' Top Gun: Maverick ' star had on a white T-shirt and denim jacket. The image was shared by internet personality Maurice Aouad on Tuesday, Aug. 5, as part of a carousel of film photos that he took over the three-day outdoor event, which kicked off Friday, Aug. 1, with bluegrass musician Billy Strings as the opening act. Cohen reposted the image to his Instagram story later that day. Another photo of Cohen and Teller at Golden Gate Park, shared to Instagram by the New York Post's Page Six on Monday, Aug. 4, shows the two taking a selfie amid the crowd, with the stage behind them. The caption notes that the image came from Cohen's Instagram account, but his post seems to have expired since then. It is unclear if they attended all three of Dead & Company's San Francisco concerts, but the two photos appear to have been taken on the same day. Both Teller and Cohen have never been subtle about their Deadheads status. Cohen even has a Highlight saved to his Instagram profile titled 'Grateful Stuff,' filled with archived story posts of his experiences at Dead & Company concerts. Teller previously revealed that fans sent him Grateful Dead T-shirts after he and his wife, Keleigh Sperry Teller, lost their Los Angeles home to the Palisades fire at the start of the year. He also recounted a "spiritual experience' that he had while watching Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir perform during college. 'From then on, that was it,' Teller told NME Magazine. 'I was sold.' The historic weekend celebrated the legacy of the Bay Area jam band and its members, old and new. Festivities kicked off Thursday, July 31, with the Heart of Town concert series. The three-night event was organized by Grahame Lesh, son of late Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, and featured appearances by Dallas musician Stephen Stills, Los Angeles folk rock group Dawes and Melvin Seals, longtime member of the Jerry Garcia Band . A number of free celebrations took place in tandem, from the open-air, city-sanctioned Shakedown Street market to the Jerry Garcia Street naming event and Dead drummer Mickey Hart's ' Art at the Edge of Magic ' exhibition at Haight Street Art Center.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Neighborhoods near Golden Gate Park seeing increased parking enforcement
Dead and Company brought tens of thousands of people to Golden Gate Park this past weekend, and even more are expected for the Outside Lands Festival. Residents of the area are dealing with extra traffic, road closures, and lots of crowds, but Oberen Ferguson said for the most part, he enjoys it. "If you go up in the attic, you can open the window and you can just hear everything," said Ferguson. "It's like getting a free seat. I remember last year Kendrick Lamar was here and you can sing along to all the words." Ferguson lives just across the street from the park, close enough that he deals with people constantly looking for parking during the events. On Sunday, someone blocked their home. "It was in front of the driveway," said Ferguson, pointing to the area where the person parked. "People just trying to get parking as close as they can." It left his family unable to get their car back into their garage when they got home. "We had to get it towed," Ferguson admits. "So that was pretty frustrating. And they came back at midnight to ask where there car went and then we had to explain that was a little awkward but it got figured out and hopefully they got their car back." Colleen Phan-Eversman parks her car in her garage. She's noticed some people selling their driveways as parking spots but decided against it. "It crossed our mind, but we haven't just because we like the flexibility if we do need to get in the car and go," said Phan-Eversman. She also saw extra parking enforcement during the festivals. "We have noticed more ticket maids around, so I'm sure there are people feeling desperate to find parking," Phan-Eversman explained. And it's not just the parking that's an issue, it's driving too. "It's hard," said Julia Sterling, a 22-year resident of the neighborhood. "Especially with the Great Highway closed, which has already really impacted driving here. My daughter takes a bus to schoo,l and it's just not functioning." Now with more concerts added to the schedule this year, Sterling is a little frustrated. "It just feels like three weekends," said Sterling, questioning how long the park and their neighborhood has to deal with the influx of people and closures. "Plus, Hardly Strictly? Like this area, we've gone through a lot of change throughout the years. We were just under the radar and kind of chill for a long time, and now it's really changing." But Ferguson said he's trying to look on the bright side, while still acknowledging it's not always ideal, especially late at night. "The only annoying thing is people coming out and being loud at night," said Ferguson. "But the music is good."
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
A guide to the Grateful Dead's 2025 Meet-Up at the Movies
The Grateful Dead's annual Meet-Up at the Movies is expanding in honor of the 60th anniversary of the legendary Bay Area band's founding. Traditionally celebrated only one day each year, its 2025 edition — featuring a 4K restoration of the 1977 concert film 'The Grateful Dead Movie' — can be seen in theaters starting Wednesday, Aug. 13, through Sept. 2. What's more, this year's Meet-Up will include IMAX screenings for the first time, Wednesday-Sunday, Aug. 13-17. 'It was the greatest screening I've ever experienced of a film I've seen hundreds of times,' declared David Lemieux, Grateful Dead archivist and legacy manager, in a statement after seeing a preview of the film in IMAX. What is Meet-Up at the Movies? It is an annual event in which concert videos and films of the Grateful Dead are screened in movie theaters around the world, allowing Deadheads, as the band's superfans are known, to gather together for a communal experience. This year in the Bay Area, it also serves as a special treat for those who attended this months' anniversary concerts at Golden Gate Park earlier in the month. The first event occurred in the United States on April 20, 2011 — appropriately 4/20, the cannabis holiday — with screenings of 'The Grateful Dead Movie.' What is 'The Grateful Dead Movie'? Though released in 1977, 'The Grateful Dead Movie' was filmed in October 1974 during a five-night run at San Francisco's now-defunct Winterland Ballroom. At the time, they were thought to be the band's final performances, with the Oct. 20 show billed as 'The Last One.' The concerts featured in the film showcase the Dead's Wall of Sound — the sound system designed specifically for the band — that redefined concert audio. The film also includes interviews with band members and crew, as well as a rare portrait of the band's fans and even some animation. The movie had a budget of $600,000 and was directed by the band's frontman, Jerry Garcia, and documentarian Leon Gast. It opened in theaters on June 1, 1977. In addition to the first Meet-Up, 'The Grateful Dead Movie' was screened at the 2017 event. It has since been restored in 4K with remastered sound. Where can I see it in IMAX? 'The Grateful Dead Movie' will be available to watch on several IMAX screens across the Bay Area, including the traditional large IMAX screens at the AMC Metreon 16 in San Francisco and the Regal Hacienda Crossings in Dublin. Is it only showing in IMAX? What else will be screened? 'China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider,' a bonus live performance from the Winterland shows not included in the official film release, will make its theatrical premiere after 'The Grateful Dead Movie.' How can I get tickets? Will there be merchandise? Of course! Many theaters will offer hats, T-shirts, hoodies, posters, etc. How can I keep the party going? Last October, the band released 83 minutes of additional footage that didn't make it into its final cut on its YouTube channel. The bonus material, previously included in a 2004 DVD release, has been remastered in HD and includes performances of 'Uncle John's Band,' 'Sugaree' and a handful of extended numbers.
