Bob Weir's daughter has been photographing the band since 2020.
Chloe Weir has She was a keen observer of Dead & Company’s residency at the Sphere, capturing her father, Bob Weir, with his band and several other Deadheads who flocked to Las Vegas this summer to experience some psychedelic magic. “I love documenting these amazing Deadheads doing what they do,” Weir says via Zoom. “It’s really cool.”
In a Zoom interview, Ware took us through several of her photographs from her residency. “What’s amazing is that there are so many visuals dedicated to both historical moments and references to specific songs,” she says. “You’re in a room full of glowing scarlet begonias, or you’re in the historic venues of the Fillmore, Madison Square Garden, Red Rocks, Cornell, and more. My images are just a small part of what it’s like to be in this amazing place. This is just the beginning.”
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right time
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
“This photo was taken at the front of the pit,” says Weir. “But what I love is that no matter where you are in the space, it’s amazing. You’re absorbing so many forms of art at once—through sound and image—and it’s a really incredible experience to be immersed in art in this way.”
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Sound wall
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
One of the many visual elements of Dead & Co.’s Sphere shows is a recreation of the Wall of Sound, the massive sound system they toured with in 1974. “The Grateful Dead were always on the cutting edge of technology,” says Ware. “I’ve heard so many stories—it was a beast and not easy to move, but it was truly amazing. This Dead Forever residency is so fitting, because they’re still using the latest technology to deliver an incredible fan experience. The crazy thing is, if I didn’t know I was in the Sphere, I’d think I was looking at the real Wall of Sound. It’s so realistic. To this day, the Wall of Sound is still an amazing feat, and I love the way it’s been brought back to life here.”
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The Destined Prophet
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
“I love photographing my dad when he’s in his real life environment, and I really feel like he goes somewhere else when he’s playing and he connects with the music in a really beautiful way,” says Bob Weir. “It’s really special to me that I can not only document the band’s history, but also my own real life history. [own] “I also love photographing him doing what he loves.”
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Skull and roses
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
Bob captured images inside classic Dead images. “One of the things I love about the visuals in Sphere is how they use art in many different graphics to highlight and frame the musical moments that are happening in real time, through the use of live streaming,” says Ware. “So no matter what seat you’re in the house, you have a really amazing view—not just of the screen visuals, but also of the details of what’s happening on stage, which I love.”
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Shakedown Street
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
Bob and John Mayer chat during the show. “I love that moment where my dad and John connect to drive it all home at the end of the song,” says Weir. “As an improvisational band, they really have to read each other’s playing during every moment of the show, and it’s really amazing to see how they collaborate with each other, and how they really connect through their music.”
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The music never stops
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
Dead & Co. drummer Jay Lane, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, Mayer, Bob, guitarist Oteil Burbridge and drummer Mickey Hart end their set with a bow. “I love that moment at the end of the show where the band and the audience really connect and take a moment to appreciate this journey they’ve all been on together,” Ware says. “There’s an incredible energy in the air.” She likens the band to family: “All the guys are so kind and so helpful, and I’ve known them my whole life.”
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Drums and Space
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
“The ‘Drums’ section of these shows takes Mickey’s audio and visual artwork to new dimensions using Sphere technology, immersing viewers in music-synced visuals as the tactile seats vibrate to the beat,” says Weir. “Mickey uses the entire back drum platform, beam and more, which is really cool.”
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Eyes of the world
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
A view of the Earth at the end of the show. “Every show, the journey is different musically and visually, but it ends with a takeoff and landing in San Francisco, where the band started almost 60 years ago,” says Ware. “It’s one of those moments at the end of the show where you come back down to Earth after this crazy adventure, and it’s a beautiful moment. Even though the show starts in present-day San Francisco, you’re traveling back in time to the 1960s when the band was just starting out. It’s emotional and amazing. I’ve seen it so many times, but it still hits me every time.”
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I know you, Ryder.
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
Live streaming to the audience on screen. “They don’t do this every show, but whenever they do, it’s really special,” says Weir. “This particular shot was taken during the song ‘Hey Jude,’ which is something I love when they do.” [cover Traffic’s] “From ‘Dear Mr. Fantasy’ to ‘Hey Jude,’ it was amazing. Every time it happened, it was a moment of connection between the fans and the band. The fans saw themselves and sang along.”
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Another Saturday Night
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
A colorful moment during the song One More Saturday Night, performed by Ware's father. “This shot is one of those rare moments at Sphere where most of the screen is dark,” Ware says, “and it's meant to draw attention to the historic photos of the band and other Grateful Dead family members that are projected above the stage. I love this shot because it's so stunning to see what the band is looking at all night long. It's a really cool perspective.”
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acid tests
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
“It’s a touch of hallucination that nods to the band’s past,” says Ware. “I love how this image harkens back to the experimental light shows of the 1960s, which were done with a little bit of oil, water, food coloring, and an overhead projector. They were shown at shows during the band’s early days at the Fillmore, the Avalon, and the Acid Tests in San Francisco. Today’s technology takes it to the next level and brings this visual experience to people who weren’t there at the time, like me. Something crazy about this image is that you see that John’s guitar is three times the size of the stage, which just goes to show the incredible scale of these immersive images.”
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shake it, shake it
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
Mayer plays guitar during the show — with a number from late NBA star and beloved Deadhead frontman Bill Walton on his guitar. “John puts his heart and soul into every song, and you can not only hear it, you can see it in the way he plays,” says Ware. “In this picture here, I captured one of those moments when he’s playing ‘Sugaree.’ He has Bill’s number on his guitar, and it’s a really beautiful tribute that they did. These were some of the best songs they played at the show.” [most] “The most special deals I've ever seen.”
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Haight-Ashbury
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
One of Ware’s favorite parts of the show occurs at the beginning, when the audience is transported to San Francisco. “You’re on the street outside 710 Ashbury, where the Grateful Dead lived in the early days of the band,” she explains. “From there, you’re slowly being whisked away into outer space. It’s incredible to see people’s reactions, whether it’s their first time at a show or not. The whole audience is in awe, and it’s amazing to hear the music while seeing people take it all in. You can see a little bit of that happening in this image.”
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flirt
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
This photo, taken by Ware on the first night he took the photos, captures some of the Spinners — the Deadheads who spend the entire evening spinning to the music. “At all shows, including Sphere shows, there’s traditionally a Spinner section, left of house, in the pit,” says Ware. “I love the way they connect with the music. Something I love about this photo in particular is that it really captures that sense of awe that comes from being in the Sphere and seeing the Dead and Co.”
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Morning dew
Image credit: © Chloe Weir
Another dancer, this time in front of the ground. “I love this image because it’s a magical moment of this woman dancing as the ground rises behind her, as ‘Morning Dew’ fills the space,” says Weir. “It’s moments like that that remind me how special these performances really are, because it’s something you can only experience here at Sphere.”
