Events

Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution: Watch the video!

Events | Featured

Night On The Green
ByBGMF April 28, 2014April 28, 2014

Join us in the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation section At the Oakland A’s -Washington Nationals Game Saturday, May 10th, 2014 For “Night On The Green” To Purchase your seats in the BGMF section and get a commemorative T-shirt featuring the A’s and Journey – www.athletics.com/BGMF We are very pleased to announce that The Bill Graham Memorial…

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Events | Featured

2026 Bills Bash Photos!
ByBGMF January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

Photos by Tommy Lau. If you would like a large high-res copy of any photo, please contact Bonnie Simmons bon@billgrahamfoundation.org

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Events | Featured | News | Press

Mural of Promoter Bill Graham to be Dedicated
ByBGMF October 23, 2023

Mural of Promoter Bill Graham to be Dedicated November 6 in the Fillmore District — 58 Years after the first benefit for the San Francisco Mime Troupe in 1965 San Francisco – October 23, 2023 – Several groups are pleased to announce the unveiling of a new city art mural of the late Bill Graham on Monday, November 6…

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Events | Featured

Bill Graham Tribute Night 2017
ByBGMF April 26, 2017May 23, 2017

The Bill Graham Memorial Foundation is thrilled to announce the Seventh Annual Bill Graham Tribute Night at AT&T Park in San Francisco. Friday, June 9th at 7:15 pm San Francisco Giants host the Minnesota Twins YOUR SPECIAL EVENT TICKETS INCLUDE: A Ticket to the Friday Night Game A very special collector’s edition Bill Graham Tribute Night…

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Events | Featured

Find Yourself in the Group Photo 2025 Bill’s Bash
ByBGMF January 15, 2025January 21, 2025

All the guests at Bill’s Bash 2025 in one large photo by Ken Friedman. You can zoom in to find yourself and your friends.

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Events | Featured

Bill’s Bash 2023 Photos
ByBGMF January 18, 2023January 18, 2023

A good time was had by all! Photo credit: Ken Friedman, photographer

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Nelson Mandela for a Free South Africa 1990

After his release from prison in February of 1990, Nelson Mandela traveled extensively, making several trips to the United States. He came to the Bay Area in June 1990, where he was honored at a sold-out concert at the Oakland Coliseum.

For Bill Graham, it was important that the show reflected the supporters of Mandela and the makeup of the greater Bay Area. During a press conference Bill said that he felt strongly about what the Bay Area stands for having been the home of the free speech movement and so supportive of the labor movement, and that recognition should be given to those factors. In addition to that “the music at the event must be roots music that emanated from Africa extending into gospel and jazz and blues and r&b.”

Ticket prices were kept to $5.00 to make the event available to as many as possible and performers included Zulu Spear, John Lee Hooker & Bonnie Raitt, the Oakland-based Vukani Mawethu Choir, Baba Olatunji and Mickey Hart, Tramaine Hawkins, Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia, Gospel Hummingbirds, John Lee Hooker, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, John Santos, Kotoja, as well as Bay Area drum and dance troupes.

At the event, acknowledging the Bay Area’s role as a U.S. center of activism against apartheid, Mandela told the crowd: “You must remember that you are our blood brothers and sisters. You are our comrades in the struggle. Remember that we respect you, we admire you and, above all, we love you. ‘We are at a crucial historical juncture,” he told a cheering crowd of 58,000 people, ”We shall not turn back. Despite my 71 years, at the end of this visit I feel like a young man of 35. I feel like an old battery that has been recharged. And if I feel so young, it is the people of the United States of America that are responsible for this.”

Line up for the Nelson Mandela 1990 concert

OUR BOYS STEEL ORCHESTRA
OPENING INVOCATION AND MASSED DRUM PROCESSION FEATURING: BABA OLATUNJI / MICKEY HART / LADZEKPO BROTHERS / MANDELEO INSTITUTE / JONI HAASTRUP / JOSE LORENZO WITH BATUCAJE I MICHAEL PLUZNICK / MOTHERSTONE / HINTIL KUU KA POMO CHILDREN DANCERS / PLUS BAY AREA DRUM AND DANCE TROUPES / WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JERRY GARCIA AND BOB WEIR
TRAMAINE HAWKINS
THE CAST OF SARAFINA
GOSPEL HUMMINGBIRDS
JOHN LEE HOOKER WITH BONNIE RAITT
BAY AREA JAZZ ALL-STARS WITH: FAVE CAROL / JOHN HANDY / BOBBY HUTCHERSON / ED KELLY/ TROY LAMPKIN / PHAROAH SANDERS / E.W. WAINWRIGHT
OAKLAND INTERFAITH GOSPEL CHOIR
SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK
MACHETE ENSEMBLE FEATURING: DAVID BELOVE / JOHN CALLOWAY / BILL ORTIZ / JOHN SANTOS / WAYNE WALLACE
BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS
ZULU SPEAR
KOTOJA
VUKANI MAWETHU
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MASS CHOIR

Audio: Bill Graham at the Press conference for the Nelson Mandela event

Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution: Watch the video!

Night On The Green

2026 Bills Bash Photos!

Mural of Promoter Bill Graham to be Dedicated

Bill Graham Tribute Night 2017

Find Yourself in the Group Photo 2025 Bill’s Bash

Bill’s Bash 2023 Photos

Info for Grant Seekers

Events & News

Photo Credits

Line up for the Nelson Mandela 1990 concert

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Info for Grant Seekers

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Nelson Mandela for a Free South Africa 1990

Line up for the Nelson Mandela 1990 concert