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San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘It's a big deal': Grahame Lesh readies for S.F.'s Grateful Dead 60th anniversary celebration
Grahame Lesh had a front row seat to one of the country's most cherished jam bands as a kid. Now, he's helping to carry forward its legacy. The son of Grateful Dead founding bassist Phil Lesh, the 38-year-old grew up immersed in the music and culture of the Bay Area band. Though he was only 8 years old when its founding guitarist Jerry Garcia died of a heart attack in 1995, he learned much of the music by watching his father perform in the spinoff group Phil Lesh & Friends, which was formed in 1998 and featured a rotating cast of musicians inspired by the Dead. Lesh even jammed with his father on several occasions. When the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee died in October at 84, Lesh made it his mission to continue honoring his father's legacy through his own career. He plans to do so with the Heart of Town, a three-night concert series at San Francisco's Pier 48 that will be part of the electric city-wide celebration of the Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary year. Scheduled for July 31-Aug. 2, the guitarist and his band Grahame Lesh & Friends will honor the influential band, which was founded in the 1960s and became emblematic of the era's counterculture movement, with an array of special musical guests. 'It just seems that the entire world of Grateful Dead fans are going to descend on the city,' Lesh said, describing the weekend as 'a celebration of the entire city and the music that came from San Francisco, especially in the '60s.' The Heart of Town's kickoff show is slated to begin at 8 p.m., but the Aug. 1-2 shows, which overlap with Dead & Company's sold-out three-show run, will begin at 11 p.m. to allow Deadheads to attend both concerts without being too crunched for time. Lesh spoke with the Chronicle a few weeks before kicking off the Heart of Town shows. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Q: What inspired the Heart of Town run of shows? A: It's the 60th, it's a big deal … It really just seemed perfect to try and gather as many musicians that have been inspired by the Grateful Dead, because there's countless of them, including myself. A: I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life, in Marin and in San Francisco, so it's not unfamiliar to me what the community is like. … I run into Deadheads everywhere, and my dad would as well. It's very cool to give everyone in the community, and the familiar faces that I'm going to see, a place, basically the whole city, to go and celebrate the music and the community that we all love. Q: Is there a particular memory you have growing up around the Dead that really sticks with you as a musician today? A: I was younger when it was the actual Grateful Dead, so I kind of learned this music when my dad started Phil Lesh & Friends a few years later. … The breadth of musicians that came through is very memorable to me, and I really learned and have memories from them that are maybe even stronger than my memories of the Grateful Dead. But every time my dad and Bob and Mickey and Billy would get back together and do something as the Dead or as the Other Ones, it was always really special. They all harkened back to the long history they had since they were in their teens and 20s. It's kind of crazy how far back the music goes and reaches deep into the roots of American music that predate even them. My brother and I grew up in this whole community and it's going to outlive us all too. Q: What is the most helpful piece of advice you received during that experience? A: My dad would talk a lot about the way they approached the music. But the takeaway generally was just that they always did what felt right, and they pursued what they wanted, what they thought sounded good, what they thought was fun, what they thought was right for each song in each moment. That sort of freedom is definitely what I try to bring to every time I approach the music. Q: What does it feel like to be carrying forward your father's legacy with these upcoming San Francisco shows? A: It's been nine months or so since he passed, so it's all still relatively fresh. It's all very special. I was lucky enough to play with him in San Francisco, especially in the last five or so years, kind of a lot. The Grateful Dead is kind of just the ultimate American music to me and to a lot of people. It's always very special to be a part of that.
San Francisco Chronicle
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Phil Lesh's son to host S.F. concert series to honor Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary
A major Grateful Dead 60th anniversary celebration is set to take over San Francisco's Pier 48 this summer, with Grahame Lesh — son of the band's late founding bassist Phil Lesh — leading the charge. The three-night concert series called the Heart of Town is set to run July 31-Aug. 2 in honor of the influential jam band founded in the Bay Area in the 1960s. Fronted by Jerry Garcia, who died in 1995, the band was known for its improvisational style and became emblematic of the era's counterculture movement. Organized by musical group Grahame Lesh & Friends, the event boasts special guests such as Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith of the Los Angeles folk rock band Dawes, Nashville country singer Daniel Donato, Salinas singer-songwriter Jackie Greene and longtime member of the Jerry Garcia Band, Melvin Seals. Ticket presales begin at 10 a.m. Friday, June 27, with general sales starting at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 30. Three-day and single-day passes will be available, as well as a Terrapin Station Experience VIP pass that includes a dedicated entry lane, viewing area, merchandise and more. 'I'm so thrilled to be among the countless Deadheads flocking to beautiful San Francisco to celebrate 60 years of the Grateful Dead,' Lesh said in a statement. 'I know that San Francisco will be filled with that music all weekend (and) I'm honored to contribute to that with all of my friends.' The series will overlap with Dead & Company's sold-out three-show run at the Golden Gate Park Polo Fields, scheduled for Aug. 1-3. Those concerts will feature surviving Dead members, guitarist Bob Weir and drummer Mickey Hart, playing alongside John Mayer, Jeff Chimenti and other musicians of the spinoff band. This will be the first local gig for Dead & Company since Lesh died in October 2024. The Heart of Town's first show kicks off at 8 p.m., but subsequent concerts that coincide with Dead & Company's event will start at 11 p.m. to allow Deadheads coming from Golden Gate Park enough time to travel across town to Pier 48. Other artists slated to appear at the Heart of Town shows include Louisville jazz musician John Medeski, Santa Ana saxophonist Karl Denson and New York indie rock singer Karina Rykman. The event series is being presented by the San Francisco Giants and Relix Media Group, and produced by Terrapin Station Entertainment and Dayglo Presents. 'The Grateful Dead were birthed in San Francisco 60 years ago, and The Heart of Town is about honoring that legacy — bringing people together through music and the spirit of the city where it all began,' Dayglo Presents Founder Peter Shapiro said in a statement. 'Having Grahame leading the charge with so many incredible musicians makes it magic — it's the next generation carrying the torch and keeping the music alive.' A portion of proceeds will support the Rex Foundation, a nonprofit established in 1983 by 'members of the Grateful Dead and friends' to provide community support to those in the arts, sciences and education. This summer's Grateful Dead festivities commemorate the band's 1965 debut as the Warlocks. Deadheads outside of the Bay Area can also celebrate the band's legacy in theaters, once the newly-announced remaster of the 'The Grateful Dead Movie' hits the big screen. The band's 1977 concert film is scheduled to make its IMAX debut on Aug. 13, with a wide release set for the following day.
Perth Now
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Dead and Company set for trio of concerts at San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Park in August
Dead and Company are to play three shows at San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Park this summer. Although the rock band - which is a continuation of the Grateful Dead with original members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart joined by John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, and Jay Lane - haven't officially announced the trio of gigs, the city's mayor, Daniel Lurie, confirmed the dates of August 1, 2 and 3. In an X video, he said: 'We have some really big news. 'Dead and Co., three shows, August 1, 2 and 3, right here in the city that is the home of the Grateful Dead. What better way to celebrate. We'll see you out here in August.' The clip is captioned: "San Francisco is planning to welcome @deadandcompany to Golden Gate Park for three days in August, to mark the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. Stay tuned for more details from the band coming soon!" Dead and Company will wrap their 10th anniversary 'Dead Forever' residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas this weekend (May 15 to 17). Meanwhile, Bob recently suggested it's possible for the Grateful Dead to reunite as a trio following the passing of bass player Phil Lesh. The musician died in October, at the age of 84, and before his passing, Weir, and bandmates Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart were planning a 60th anniversary reunion tour with Lesh. Should they get back together, Weir admits he couldn't replace his beloved bandmate. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he said: '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.' Asked about reuniting as a three-piece, 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.' Weir also admitted he and Lesh had their "differences". Recounting their last conversation, he shared: 'We did have our differences. But the last phone call I had from him was when the news came out that we were being honoured at the Kennedy Center. He called me just simply to congratulate me and us, and that was his entire reason for calling. And when we were done talking about that, I was spun out, he was spun out. We tried to make sense of it for a little bit. And then said, 'Well, OK, see you there,' basically. I guess that wasn't to be.' The trio turned up with Lesh's son, Grahame, to be honoured by then-President Joe Biden at the Kennedy Center Honors in December. In 2015, Weir, Lesh, Kreutzmann, and Hart reunited for the 'Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead' concerts. They were joined by Trey Anastasio of Phish on guitar, Jeff Chimenti on keyboards, and Bruce Hornsby on piano. The 'Touch of Grey' hitmakers claimed the five shows would be the last to feature the trio.
Fox News
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Grateful Dead founding member Bobby Weir, 77, looks 'forward to dying'
Grateful Dead founding member Bobby Weir is one of the last men standing in his legendary rock band. The thought of mortality has crossed Weir's mind, as he's seen many of his band members pass. Despite having lived a life full of music and memories, Weir's sentiment wasn't one of fear, but rather of acceptance. "Every day, things change. I'll say this: I look forward to dying," Weir, 77, told Rolling Stone. "I tend to think of death as the last and best reward for a life well-lived. That's it. I've still got a lot on my plate, and I won't be ready to go for a while." While Weir has showed no signs of slowing down, he witnessed several deaths of his band members, including bassist Phil Lesh and guitarist Jerry Garcia. "I wish … well, Phil made it to his eighties. Jerry didn't, and there was a lot that Jerry had to offer that he didn't get to offer. Lesh was one of the founding members and died in October 2024. He was 84. Weir was famously the "little brother" of the Grateful Dead, as he joined the band at age 16. In 1963, he met Garcia in Palo Alto, California, in an alleyway, according to Rolling is one of the band's few remaining members, alongside drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann. Before Lesh's death, the four bandmates discussed reuniting in honor of the rock band's 60th anniversary this year. Since Lesh's passing, Weir is now unsure of a band reunion. "We speak a language that nobody else speaks," Weir explained. "We communicate, we kick stuff back and forth, and then make our little statement in a more universal language." He continued, "For us, it's a look or a motion with one shoulder, or the way you reflect a phrase or something that tips off the other guys where you're going with this. And then they work on being where you're headed, getting there with a little surprise for you. That's a formula that's worked real well for us over the years, and there just aren't enough of us left now to do that anymore." However, this month, Weir returned to Las Vegas for another Dead & Company residency with 18 shows at the Sphere. "That's what I do," he said. "That's what I'm here for." Meanwhile, in October 2024, Lesh's death was confirmed on his official Instagram page. "Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him and leaves behind a legacy of music and love," his social media read at the time. "When Phil's happening, the band's happening," Grateful Dead co-founder, frontman and lead guitarist Garcia, who died in 1995, once said of Lesh's bass playing. The Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995 after Garcia's death, but Lesh continued to perform into his 80s, often with his son Grahame Lesh. Lesh and Garcia first met in 1959, and after reconnecting in 1964, Garcia invited Lesh to join the group, then called the Warlocks. Garcia asked Lesh to play bass guitar, which he never had done before, according to Rolling Stone.
