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Bob Weir, who has secured a place in rock history as the Grateful Dead’s co-vocalist and one of the most revered songwriters of the late 20th century, will play Portland’s State Theatre on May 1. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday, Dec. 2. General admission tickets, $40 ($45 day of show), are available by calling 800-745-3000, at the Cumberland County Civic Center box office and at www.statetheatreportland.com. In his younger days, Weir bummed around California’s burgeoning folk scene in and came into contact with musicians like Jerry Garcia, New Riders of the Purple Sage founder David Nelson, and Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen. A series of jug bands eventually morphed into the electrified Warlocks who, in turn, became the Grateful Dead following a series of gigs at Ken Kesey’s Acid Tests. Weir developed his odd rhythm style playing between the sweet, articulated lead guitar of Jerry Garcia and the avant-garde bass lines of Phil Lesh. The Dead’s sound, a psychedelic hybrid of genres, was developed through endless improvisation. Weir’s role as a rhythm player was to give force and color to the developing music. Although his life has been consumed by music, Weir has also spent a good deal of time as a social and an environmental activist.
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