San Francisco Sends Bobby Weir Into the Next Dimension Through Song, Spirit and Tribute

Photo Credit: Raffaela Kenny-Cincotta

In the red-rose-lined wake of Bobby Weir’s passing, his fans and followers have flocked to the streets of San Francisco–particularly its historic Haight-Ashbury district–to share in community, memories, and music as they honor the late artist and his enduring impact on the Golden City.

Weir’s death was confirmed on social media in a message penned by the family, who disclosed that their patriarch had courageously beaten cancer before succumbing to underlying lung issues. 

During the hours and days that have lapsed since the artist’s passing was publicized, the deadhead community has embraced one another in various capacities across the city where Weir and the Grateful Dead grew up.

Amongst the locations for assembly and remembrance was the Grateful Dead house at 710 Ashbury Street in San Francisco, a longtime site of pilgrimage for the band’s followers. The iron fence in front of the stairs leading to the historic Victorian residence was lined with flowers, particularly the band’s signature red roses.

Intermixed were familiar iconography and sentiments: dancing bears and stealies, alongside handwritten references to cherished lyrics. Tributes quoted lines from “Cassidy,” “Fare thee well now,” and “Ripple,” including “I love you more than words can tell… Listen to the river sing sweet songs to rock my soul….”

At other locations once frequented by the band, including music venues, the marquees were lined with messages of remembrance honoring Weir. At the Warfield, signage read: RIP Bobby Weir,” with the “Black Throated Wind” lyrics, “I’m going back home, that’s what I’m gonna do.” 

The Great American Music Hall displayed “Bob Weir 1947-2026” with the lines from “Cassidy”: “Let the words be yours. I’m done with mine.” 

San Francisco’s mayor, Daniel Lurie, took part in the memorial activities. Quoted in The San Francisco Standard, Lurie said of Weir: “What he did for our city and community is hard to describe.” Adding, “You can’t qualify it.” 

Lurie previously welcomed Dead & Company to the city’s Golden Gate Park for the band’s 60th anniversary celebration on Aug. 1-3, 2025. Reflecting on his work with Weir, Lurie says, “He couldn’t have been more gracious.”

There was also dancing in the street and impromptu concerts that brought folks together in the sound and spirit of the Grateful Dead’s music and Weir’s colossal impact, as they reprised the songs that built the band’s devoted following.