RatDog
The Orpheum, Boston,
MA
Tuesday, March 13,
2007
Written by Rebecca
Carter
It’s always interesting to see how Deadheads adapt to a city
environment for shows. The lack of parking lot didn’t phase the RatDog fans who came from all over New
England and beyond, even managing to set up a mini “Shakedown” on the narrow
Boston sidewalk outside of The Orpheum despite the cops that kept telling
everyone to keep moving.
It was an early show and the band took the stage at seven,
easing into one of their signature opening jams. The audience waited in
anticipation, searching for those first few notes, trying to figure out what
song they would open with. Tonight, it was “Shakedown Street” and the crowd lit
up, dancing on the seats and in the aisles. The scene was reminiscent of older
Dead videos when the band was playing a theater and the seats were strictly
decoration. But this was not The Grateful Dead, or The Other Ones or The Dead;
it was RatDog, and with Bob Weir
solely at the helm you knew you were in for a night of his bluesier, jazzy
style. Next, they went into “Maggie’s Farm,” Dylan being the favorite artist
for RatDog to cover. The set then moved into a block of laidback blues,
including “Walkin’ Blues” and “Little Red Rooster,” before picking things up again
with “Bertha” and “Around and Around.” During “Bertha,” Weir seemed to lose his
place in the lyrics, but the audience applauded his quick save.
The second set opened with “K. C. Moan,” which melted
perfectly into “Me and My Uncle.” The high point of the second set came during
“Eyes of the World,” with each member of the band sharing the spotlight and
taking a little time to show off their skills. Saxophone player George Garzone
joined Kenny Brooks for a long “dueling horns” type of jam and bassist Robin
Sylvester went into a crazy free-style solo, with the audience cheering him on.
They ended the night with “Touch of Grey,” and although this is the song that
crossed over into the mainstream, there was no lack of love from the RatDog
crowd, who held their hands in the air as the lights shined back across them
singing, “we will survive.” As long as someone like Weir is carrying it on
through RatDog, the music surely will.
Setlist:
Set 1: Shakedown
Street > Maggie’s Farm > Mission in the Rain > Walkin’ Blues > Easy
to Slip > Book of Rules > Little Red Rooster > Bertha > Around and
Around
Set 2: K.C. Moan >
Me and My Uncle > Victim or the Crime > Easy Answers > Eyes of the
World > Stuff > Black Peter > Touch of Grey
Encore: Johnny B.
Goode
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