25 years ago today (11/3/91), more than 300,000 people attend a free concert in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in memory of rock promoter Bill Graham who had died days earlier in a helicopter crash. Titled Bill Graham Memorial: Laughter, Love & Music, featured acts included The Grateful Dead; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Joe Satriani; Aaron Neville; Bobby McFerrin; Jackson Browne; Tracy Chapman, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Robin Williams; Joan Baez; Santana; and Journey (which reunited for the event). Watch the full Carlos Santana performance (8 years pre Supernatural) from the festival, one of the early champions of Bill Graham…
Setlist:
0:00:00 – Spirits Dancing In The Flesh
0:05:07 – Somewhere In Heaven
0:14:14 – Peace on Earth / Mother Earth
0:16:53 – Third Stone From The Sun
0:20:30 – Oye Como Va
0:29:00 – Bertha
0:35:36 – I Love You Much Too Much
0:39:57 – Jingo
4 Responses
I was there! We drove down from Washington state and didn’t even know this event was taking place. I remember they said more than 250k people were there. It was insane.
Yeah I was on a wine junket from Australia & we stumbled in , got stoopid and rocked the day away. Still blows me away thinking back to that beautiful, surreal day. How could you ever forget being bombed with flowers by low flying DC3s , worlds best bands and the memories of Bill. Thanks Bill.
I have pictures of me on the grass, nursing my baby and my husband and little girl we went early and stayed the whole day. My husband said he saw angels coming out of Santana’s guitar when he played his heart out for Bill. They dropped carnations out of helicopters and the only thing negative that happened is a naked man stole a horse from a police man, lol. It was most awesome amazing experience. Every single band I love showed up and played real good for free…Joni Mitchell…and it just will be a memorable day for me the rest of my life…
What a long strange trip it was, Such a great day.We parked our cars at the park n ride in Milpitas and road Bart under the Bay to Frisco as the sun was setting we were welcomed to the park with Journey playing ‘ Lights’ so cool. I will never forget that awsome day I witnessed every walk of life together in harmony! There were silver/purple Jesters on tall stilts walking through the crowds,Giants praying to mushrooms and just Love , oohh the memories Brian, Michelle,Andy Jaime and Brandon and Me