When RatDog took the stage last summer in Milwaukee at Summerfest, guitarist Mark Karan was forced to sit out the show due to illness. Eventually, he was diagnosed with throat cancer and missed all of the band's remaining 2007 performances, with Steve Kimock touring in Karan's stead. However, RatDog has announced that Karan will return for the group's spring tour. On the band's website, Weir affirms, “Mark’s back.  It’s pretty much a miracle.” Karan adds, "with much gratitude after long months of hard work, joy, fear, hope, affirmation... and finally triumph... I have been given the ‘all clear’ by my wonderful doctors @ UCSF and am really pleased and excited to be able to say I'll definitely be on the RatDog bus heading your way this spring. yippee!  I'm looking forward to seeing all y'all and to playing with and for you very, very soon...thank you for all the love and support you've given me thru my greatest challenge." RatDog will next take the stage on March 21 in St. Paul, MN at O'Shaughnessy Auditorium and following its spring tour, the band looks to be busy throughout the year, with festival gigs announced for Wanee, Mountain Jam and the High Sierra Music Festival.