Bob Weir’s fall onstage Thursday night during a performance with Furthur at the Capitol Theatre in Chester, NY has been captured in an 11 minute plus video performance of “Unbroken Chain” that just goes on and on and on. It was posted by a You Tuber and Furthur fan called “grateful sunshine” and I have no control over how long this video may remain online, but while it’s there, it’s worth watching.
The 65-year-old Grateful Dead guitarist collapses onstage within less than a minute of the performance. And by collapse, I don’t mean that he has a blister on his finger .
I mean, he completely falls down to the floor and has to be helped up — twice — by assistants.
The great musicians want to play, and the show must go on. Weir then takes a chair and continues the performance from a seated position. Fair enough.
But Bob Weir is clearly struggling in the aftermath of his fall. Was there no way to end the agony before 11 freaking minutes and three seconds had passed? How are people enjoying this?
As You Tube commenter Weir Spirit said: “I just wish they had shortened the song, so as not to prolong this awful moment. Pretty obvious he needed to get offstage asap.”
Furthur is the band that Weir formed with Phil Lesh, also a Grateful Dead member.
Lesh said that Weir had a strained shoulder. While that’s unlikely to make you fall down, I’m guessing that there were some pain medications involved that might have done the trick.
True, it’s just a guess. And I don’t want to cast aspersions at somebody who clearly wanted to continue performing for his enthusiastic, cheering fans.
As You Tuber Lee New commented: “I wish Bob nothing but the best for all of the incredible great times he has provided for countless millions of music fans all over the world.”
Let’s hope Bob Weir’s onstage fall is just a temporary setback.
[Bob Weir photo by Dana Nalbandian / Shutterstock.com ]
