Sphere, Kia Forum & Empire State Building Lit Up In Homage To Bob Weir

With the passing this weekend of Bob Weir, co-founder, guitarist and singer of the Grateful Dead, which was announced by his family on Saturday Jan. 10., many fans and prominent music executives paid tribute to the beloved and highly influential musician. Perhaps more unexpected, though, is that three of the world’s most prominent buildings also paid homage to Weir by lighting up their facades in tribute.

This included Sphere (above) where Weir’s Dead & Company played 48 shows across two separate residencies: 30 shows in 2024 and another 18 shows in spring 2025 as part of their 10th anniversary celebration.

The Kia Forum (above) also lit its exterior in a multi-hued tie-dye, which the Grateful Dead and their Deadhead followers helped popularize with their ubiquitous t-shirts which often featured the band’s iconic steal your face logo, a skeleton with roses or dancing bears, among other imagery.

And finally, New York City’s famed Empire State Building (below), which was built in 1931 and was the tallest building in the world until 1971, also paid tribute to Bob Weir by similarly lighting its crown in a colorful tie-dye motif (see below).