A suspected arson fire damaged a famed San Rafael venue founded by the late Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh early Sunday morning, officials said.
The blaze was reported at 4:13 a.m. at the vacant music spot at 100 Yacht Club Drive in the city’s Canal neighborhood, according to a San Rafael Fire Department spokesperson.
Firefighters responded after witnesses spotted flames near the Montecito Shopping Center and called 911. A sprinkler system in the kitchen helped to stop the blaze.
Investigators determined that the fire was likely set on purpose, after smelling an odor of gasoline and finding an empty gas can nearby, “suggesting that gasoline had been poured along the side of the building and splashed against the exterior wall before being ignited.”
A south side wall and a portion of the former restaurant kitchen were damaged, and additional water and minor smoke damage were noted throughout the club. No reported injuries were reported, and no initially available damage estimate was available.
Lesh founded Terrapin Crossroads, and the restaurant and music venue operated for nearly a decade before closing in 2021. Lesh died in October at age 84.
Willie McDevitt, property manager for the venue, said he didn’t know why the building may have been targeted or how the fire started. The owners plan to make immediate repairs and increase security at the property, he said, adding that the site could soon reopen as a music club with new owners.
“We’re dismayed that the fire happened,” McDevitt said by phone Monday. “You feel personally violated when stuff like that happens.”
When contacted by The Standard, Lesh’s son, Brian Lesh, said he was not aware of the incident, adding that he and his family haven’t been involved since they closed the building.
“But that is sad news, we had a lot of great memories there,” he said.
Lesh founded a band named after the venue, the Terrapin Family Band, with which his eldest son, Grahame Lesh, still tours. The band is booked to play the Brooklyn Bowl in Philadelphia on April 24.
On Monday, the Terrapin Roadshow traveling concert series announced the musical lineup of its May 31 and June 1 dates at Monte Rio Amphitheater ahead of additional summer dates in San Rafael and Truckee.
“This series is a beautiful way to honor the incredible community that grew around the music of the Grateful Dead,” event co-producer Grahame Lesh said in a statement.
“It’s so special to see the spirit of their music passed down, bringing people together in the same way Terrapin Crossroads did for so many years. We can’t wait to see Terrapin Nation again next summer.”
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact San Rafael police at 415-485-3000.