Dead & Company kicks off epic Grateful Dead 60th shows in foggy San Francisco
A thick blanket of fog rolled in overhead — a fitting curtain for a band born in the Bay Area and forever entwined with its weather, ethos and mythology.
The show on Friday, Aug. 1 opened on what would have been late guitarist Jerry Garcia's 83rd birthday.
His daughter, Trixie Garcia, took the stage to introduce the band, setting the tone for an evening steeped in remembrance but focused squarely on the music.
Many fans had traveled from across the country to be there. Around the venue, Dead-themed vendors lined JFK Promenade, with T-shirt stalls, incense sellers and bootleg vinyl dealers doing brisk business, adding to the festival's nostalgic energy.
The first set was a slow burn. While it featured crowd-pleasers like 'Feel Like a Stranger,' 'Tennessee Jed,' and 'Althea,' the band struggled to build early momentum — especially with its clunky version of Martha and the Vandellas 'Dancing in the Street' front-loaded in the lineup.
It wasn't until the second set that Dead & Company — featuring original members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart alongside John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimentii and Jay Lane — found their groove.
Grahame Lesh, son of founding bassist Phil Lesh, who died earlier this year, joined the band for his dad's signature song, 'Box of Rain,' then remained onstage for 'Playing in the Band,' which subtly incorporated elements of Miles Davis' 'All Blues.'
From there, the band embraced its improvisational roots, guiding the crowd through a cosmic sequence of 'Eyes of the World,' 'Terrapin Station' and the free-form standards 'Drums' and 'Space.'
Guitar phenom and opening act Billy Strings returned for a haunting 'Wharf Rat,' which nodded to 'The Other One' before dissolving into a jubilant 'Not Fade Away.' The night closed with a reverent encore of Bob Dylan's 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door,' sending fans into the fog, smiling and spent.
Offstage, San Francisco embraced the celebration. The city wrapped three Muni vehicles in psychedelic prints — dubbed the 'Psychedeli-bus' and 'Trippy Train' — serving both festivalgoers and daily commuters. Eight specially bred 'Grateful Dead' roses were also planted in the park's historic Rose Garden.
'There's no better place to celebrate 60 years of the Grateful Dead than right here in San Francisco,' said Mayor Daniel Lurie earlier in the week.
The shows, which continue through Sunday, Aug. 3, are expected to draw 60,000 attendees each night, with general admission tickets starting at $635 and some VIP packages reselling for more than $7,000.
Still, for many in attendance, the cost was beside the point.
Grateful Dead 60th Anniversary Show – Friday, Aug. 1
Set 1
'Feel Like a Stranger' (Grateful Dead cover)
'Dancing in the Street' (Martha Reeves and the Vandellas cover)
'Tennessee Jed' (Grateful Dead cover)
'Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo' (Grateful Dead cover)
'Big River' (Johnny Cash cover)
'Althea' (Grateful Dead cover)
Set 2
Encore
'Knockin' on Heaven's Door' (Bob Dylan cover)
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