Tuneful jam band works hard for fans



Monday, August 29, 2005


By Mark Bialczak

Staff writer

When Bob Weir ambles onto the outdoor stage in his trademark shortish shorts and bare feet, it's without a doubt still summer in Syracuse.

The famous Californian led his latest band, RatDog, through a jam-happy set Sunday night at the state fair Grandstand. And to the crowd of 4,206, it was obvious that the outside party was a great chance to relive the greatness of Weir's original band, the legendary Grateful Dead.

From the first meandering strains of the opening song, fans seemed to breathe in a big gulp at once. Diehard Dead fans probably knew what the song was from the start. But as Weir and his guitar and his considerably talented band mates built slowly but surely to one of the Dead's most popular and recognizable tunes, the air got let out in a big cheer.

"Truckin' " it was, and truck the band and fans did for the rest of the night.

"What a long, strange trip it's been," they sang along on the opening cut.

From there on it was a dance fest, even through the less mainstream songs.

Fans broke off in small packs to dance in the spaces left open on the floor on both sides of the stage. The impromptu dance floors were right underneath the two big screens. Better for the dancers to keep track of the show as well as the beat.

Others stood at their seats and swayed. Hardly anybody sat except to take a load off every now and again.

The band worked hard the whole time. With Mark Karan on guitar, Jeff Chimenti on keyboards, Kenny Brooks on saxophone, Robin Sylvester on bass and Jay Lane on drums, Weir's RatDog is a tuneful jam band.

Weir and his golden vocals undoubtedly led the way, but all appeared ready to make the time-tested break-ins and breakouts from song to song.

RatDog has more than a hundred songs on its concert-ready playlist, so fans like to be surprised.

Weir pulled out some cool ones, including the folk-country "Brown-Eyed Women" and spirited "Lucky Enough."

The coolest vibe, though, might have come with "Black-Throated Wind." Before the song, Weir suggested that everybody say a prayer for the opening band, The Neville Brothers, who were facing a return to their hometown of New Orleans, in danger from Hurricane Katrina.

Before the several generations of Central New Yorkers returned home into the pleasant summer night, the range of fans from kids to college students to 40-somethings to grandparents sang together on the classic "Not Fade Away." Weir won't do that, for sure.

The Neville Brothers never mentioned the threat of the hurricane to their beloved hometown.

Instead, singer Aaron, keyboardist Charles, saxophonist Arthur and drummer Cyril and their four band mates put out a lusty R&B set that paid tribute to the funky New Orleans sound they've helped make famous.

Jazzy and soulful, too, as they wove their songs like "Yellow Moon" with classics like "Love the One You're With" and "Thank U for Lettin' Me Be Myself," the brothers let the set crescendo with a robust, rolling "When You Go to New Orleans."
And here is a review from GT:
gt - 07:47am Aug 30, 2005 PDT (#56 of 60)
It's too dark to put the keys in my ignition........

Okay since I only get one show a year it seems here is my review......First of all bein with gemmie and wolfie and boots made this night extra special to begin with......Starts out with nice little jam into Truckin....a full mid tempo fat jammin truckin ..as if it were mid 2nd set.....everyone singin along dancin away next to my friends and grinin ear to ear.....indeed what along strange trip it has been I begin to think. Brown eyed women had mark rippin up the solos and rockin back and forth, I aways loved this tune and the dog did it justice. At this point I realized this show was gonna smoke. Lucky enough was good I am not a huge fan of it but it kept me on my feet and smilin. One of the highlights for me was this Silvio tequilla jam....By this point boots and were dancin fools and I absolutely could not stop smilin ..my face hurt...I was absolutely blown away...rockin back and forth singing along and getting to share it with s friends....words cannot do justice for the feelings and good vibes i was experiencing..That left me tired but wanting more....Althea was rocked out to the extreme with a middle jam that just built and built to exploding jam....I am left speecless at this point..Again dancin away with boots by my side and more room in our row cause wolfie and gemmie made there way to the side for more dancin rroom...Bt wind started acoustic for about three minutes and rocked out electric and I loved it. Schoolgirl followed with a nice bluesy rockin feel to it and flowed nicely..Ashes and glass is atune I always dig and the dogg was abslutely on fire and so tight I am just blown away at this point......NFA..I felt like I was at a dead show....Boots and I boppin back and forth and singing along.....I felt it ...I felt the love and the vibes flowin...I turned around to take in all the people in the grandstand dancin thier asses offf and singing along....I have goose bumps as I type this right now.......and it was that much more special being able to hang with boots who i met for the first time......what aspecial night!!!!!!! singing along you know our love will not fade away!!!!!!!! as the chant continued I felt so fulfilled yet wanting more....and they delivered..as the drummer started playing I was trying to guess the next tune and tboots looked at me with that beautiful smile and goes SAMSON! and she was right on...and they did it justice and abslolutely rocked!!!!!!!!! No words really can do justice to the evenig but I had to try.....And not to sound repetitive but (((Wolfie Gemmie and boots))))) thank you for makin it extra special..I hadn'tseen gemmie in over 6 years...and I just took in the moment and cherished it....hope to see you all soon.......The doggie is on fire and anyone who calls it cheese needs to have their head examined.....I love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad to have met you Chez although too brief!!!
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