From the first public Mime Troupe events in 1965 to his untimely death in 1991, Bill Graham set the standard for excellence in concert presentations and in doing so, redefined the art of communication for an entire generation. To honor Bill Graham, Steve Kahn and Melissa Gold, the BGP staff organized a free concert in Golden Gate Park for Sunday, November 3. Mother Nature cooperated and provided a comfortable and cloudless…entire summary
John Fogerty - vocals, guitar
Jerry Garcia - lead guitar, vocals
Bob Weir - rhythm guitar, vocals
Phil Lesh - bass, vocals
Vince Welnick - keyboards, vocals
Bill Kruetzman - drums
Mickey Hart - drums
From the first public Mime Troupe events in 1965 to his untimely death in 1991, Bill Graham set the standard for excellence in concert presentations and in doing so, redefined the art of communication for an entire generation. To honor Bill Graham, Steve Kahn and Melissa Gold, the BGP staff organized a free concert in Golden Gate Park for Sunday, November 3. Mother Nature cooperated and provided a comfortable and cloudless day as 300,000 people gathered in the Polo Field of Golden Gate Park.
Although the Grateful Dead were expected to make an appearance, the list of performers was kept well under wraps and few had any idea who exactly would be performing. It didn't seem to matter though, as the feeling that permeated the crowd was one of quiet reflection. This concert marked the end of an era, but also memorialized Bill Graham in a manner that was fitting - a free concert in the heart of where it all started. The sad circumstances aside, this was truly a celebration of Graham's life and as the poster for this event noted, it was to be a day filled with Laughter, Love and Music.
In the middle of the set by the Grateful Dead, the final full set of the day, the audience was surprised to see Creedence Clearwater Revival leader John Fogerty take the stage. His showcase set, which featured four CCR classics backed by The Dead, should have been one of the peak musical moments of this memorable day. His set unquestionably delighted the audience and the band had some fun backing him on such classic hits as "Green River," "Bad Moon Rising," and "Proud Mary," but, unfortunately, his guitar was horribly out of tune and turned way down in the mix, reducing his set to less than it could have been. His distinctive vocals, however, sounded great and the joy of hearing Garcia noodle around on these particular songs was still a lot of fun for all concerned.
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