Stuart Levine

Last night at San Rafael, CA’s Beach Park, not far from his Terrapin Crossroads venue, Phil Lesh hosted an emotional candlelight vigil in response to the tragic school shooting in Parkland, FL, on February 14. 

“All children are our children,” Lesh began, echoing the theme of the night. “That’s an idea that speaks to the deepest level of our common humanity. So, in a sense, we’re all responsible for all children. As it should be.” Lesh also quoted John Donne’s poem “No Man Is An Island,” along with Dylan Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” “‘Rage, rage against the dying of the light,'” Lesh recited, “And I am feeling such rage right now, and such anguish and grief, thinking about these great spirits, cut off before their time.”

Lesh then introduced a couple of speakers from Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, who, as he said, spoke on ways to fix “this horrible state of affairs.”

“I have so many ideas, but they’re all bad,” Lesh said. “But this cannot stand. Who are we if we cannot protect our children?” After the speakers, who went over some gun legislation and ways to help their organization’s cause (“We emphasize that we’re not trying to take away people’s guns. We’re trying to create common-sense gun laws and gun safety”), Lesh meticulously went through the victims of the Parkland shooting, showing photos and talking about their lives. 

Lesh was then joined by a group of collaborators, including Ross James, for some acoustic songs, starting with John Lennon’s “Imagine” and continuing with Crosby Still Nash & Young’s “Teach Your Children,”  “Down to the River to Pray,” Bob Dylan’s “The Time’s They Are A-Changing” and “Blowing in the Wind” and more, closing with the Grateful Dead’s “Ripple.” 

Watch below, via Deadheadland.