3 Live Performances That Show How Bob Weir Redefined the Rhythm Guitar Role

People typically gush over lead guitarists and their spell-binding solos, not rhythm guitarists and their steady pace of play. Rhythm guitarists are certainly integral parts of every band, but when it comes to receiving praise for their talents, that usually goes to the lead guitarists. However, that is not the case for the late-great Bob Weir, as he redefined the rhythm guitar and showed that the role could be more than playing a few chords and singing. That being said, here are three live performances that showed how Bobby Weir redefined the rhythm guitar role.

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“Feel Like A Stranger” at Madison Square Garden (1988)

To a non-musician music fan, it’s difficult to pick up on the nuances of Bob Weir’s rhythm guitar playing. However, to the contrary, it is impossible not to notice it. In this particular performance, Weir shows how he can change the pace of the rhythm on the dime, all while staying in key, on time, and not changing the general style of the song.

Again, you might not notice it, as it is a fairly specific observation. Though once you hear it, you can’t unhear it. This is just one of the thousands of live performances that show off the late-great Bob Weir’s talents.

“Morning Dew” at Winterland Ballroom (1974)

The Grateful Dead‘s “Morning Dew” is not a rhythm-heavy track, as it is not dominated by a major through line, but rather a culmination of solos, fills, and verses. One might think this hides Weir’s skills, and to an extent it does, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t present in this song.

As a musician, a high achievement is remaining invisible yet being entirely essential during a song. That is exactly what Weir does in this live performance. In this particular performance, Bobby doesn’t take hold of the song; instead, he creates space for the rest of the band to play. He gives them the paper and lets them paint.

“Jack Straw” in Raleigh, North Carolina (1990)

In this 1990 performance, Bob Weir sides with the simpler. While he is still performing at a very high level, he shows that he has the capacity to play a straightforward rock ‘n’ roll rhythm. Now, that is saying a lot, because many of The Grateful Dead’s songs are adventurous and very non-linear. Consequently, non-Dead fans think they were one-dimensional in that way. However, this Weir performance suggests otherwise.

In essence, this performance shows that Bob Weir, as a rhythm guitarist, could do it all. If he needed to play straight forward, he could play straight forward. If he needed to create space, he could create space. If he needed to take the reins, he could take the reins, and that is precisely why he is one of the greatest rhythm guitarists of all time.

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