Bob Weir Dosed At Nokia?

Bob Weir collapses onstage at Capitol Theater Update: (04/25/13)

Bob Weir 'dosing' Update: (08/12/10)


After some thought I questioned the plausibility of this story after hearing offhand from Deadheads on a Canadian forum that Phil was joking the second night and that it was a 'prescription drug reaction on an empty stomach'.   For a moment I bought that party line myself (also on the basis that no respectable print outlets picked up the story, where for instance one piece of a hilarious acid crazed dude trying to put on his sandal at Coachella made CNN's American Morning at the time).  Then it occured to me 'how many prescription drug reactions on an empty has Lindsay Lohan had' - indeed isn't that the caveat for any drugged out aberrant behaviour in Hollywood?


After some furthur poking around there is some talk on www.philzone.com message boards that Phil's wife (hoooooootness) came down on the entire crew hard after the performance.

The relevant background to get here is that Phil Lesh is a recovering alchoholic and suffers from Hepatitis C and as such makes regular Organ Donor Rap's at his concerts encouraging fans about the importance of organ donation.   This says a few things- first of all the backstage area is likely fairly to highly controlled definitely with regards to alcohol despite the predelictions of the fanbase.  For instance in one of the finest incarnations of Phil Lesh & Friends (with longime Deadhead Ryan Adams) it was perceived in very bad form that Adams slugged off a fourty of whiskey onstage with his hero.  If as it seems Bobby was really dosed the  finger would have been pointed first at the crew (whose responsibility it is to secure the backstage), the venue security, and there are a host of liability issues extending as far as the venue itself I would think.   From a medical perspective although Bobby (and Phil) have gobbled enough acid to liberate a small African country please remember Bobby is 62 years old and a grandparent, it seems likely he was assessed by a private physician, likely given oranges and cigarettes in the chillout tent or at least some valium and alot of fluids.




Original Post:


There's been some speculation amongst Deadheads on various forums about whether longtime guitarist and vocalist Bob Weir was inadvertently (unwittingly) dosed during or before Furthur's performance the first night at the Nokia Theatre.  


Judge from this youtube clip of El Paso (which was in the parlance of Deadheads butchered, aborted and drew audible boos afterwards) where the band unnervingly circles around over and over again as Weir misses his vocal intro, if familiar with the song and improvisation one can audibly detect the group instrumentally gathering around Weir like a sick foal coaxing him along.





From the sounds of it he really was dosed - on paper the next night at the Nokia Theater's setlist is really confident including massive showpieces Dark Star and particularly the revered Unbroken Chain.  As his compatriot Phil Lesh said onstage the second night: "Never drink out of something you haven't poured yourself".

Furthur - Nokia Theatre, New York, NY, July 29, 2010


Set 1:


Dancin' in the Streets>
Celebration>
Alligator>
Tennessee Jed
Reuben & Cerise
Money For
Gasoline, Mississippi Half-Step> Let It Grow

Set 2:

So Many Roads

Seven Hills Of Gold> Dear Mr Fantasy> Jam> Dark Star(v1)> Unbroken Chain> The Other One> The Eleven> Death Don't Have No Mercy> Dark Star(v2)> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad> We Bid You Goodnight