Free Hilo Tribute Concert Honors Bob Weir Sunday at Rainbow Room

Hilo residents gathered Sunday at the Rainbow Room for a free tribute concert honoring Bob Weir, the Grateful Dead founding member who died Jan. 10 at 78. The event offered a low-barrier way for fans and neighbors to mark Weir’s passing and to spotlight local performers and food vendors on Keawe Street.

The show, held Jan. 17 and presented by The Booch Bar and Jahred Darius, ran from 5 p.m. to pau at 110 Keawe St. Headlining PunaKat was joined by Steve Fundy of Uncle Charlie, giving the bill a distinctly local flavor that mixed Grateful Dead material with island interpretations. The free admission helped draw a cross-section of the community, from longtime Deadheads to casual listeners, and reinforced Hilo’s role as a place for communal gatherings after a week of statewide remembrances.

Organizers paired the music with a themed menu billed as the "Grateful Grill." Food was "served on San Francisco sourdough with a side of ‘Hell in a Bucket’ fire roasted tomato soup." Darius said the "entire menu is grilled cheeses and everyone is named after a different Grateful Dead song." That concept translated into brisk on-site food sales and created an anchor for lingering customers, benefiting the venue and vendors without charging a cover.

The tribute also carried practical significance for Hilo’s live-music economy. Free concerts reduce barriers to attendance while still generating revenue through food and beverage sales, merchandise, and increased foot traffic for nearby businesses. Local bands gain exposure and potential paid gigs, which supports the music labor market on the island and keeps performance venues economically viable in a market where touring acts visit less frequently.

Weir’s family posted a statement on his official website and social media noting his death from underlying lung issues after recently beating cancer. The Hilo concert joined a string of tributes nationwide that underscored Weir’s influence on multiple generations of musicians and fans.

For readers, the Rainbow Room event illustrated how grassroots, no-cover concerts can serve both cultural and economic roles in Big Island County. Expect more pop-up memorials and community-driven shows in the coming weeks as local venues respond to demand for public remembrances and continued support for the island’s live-music scene.