About Last Night..

Stories-I love the stories!
photos by Carl Daniel

Here's Graceful's:

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GracefulDead - 11:00am Apr 21, 2005 PDT (#42 of 42)
(((Bobby))) ((((DNC)))

From where I stood - it was the best show I have ever been to in my life!!! I could tell it was crowded, but Rus and I and Tiny Dancer were on this round platform about seven heads from the stage which was raised to the stage level and I was literally dancing in front of the band at their level! It was the most amazing experience and the music was sooooo gooood!! THANK YOU THANKYOU THANK YOU!! I could watch Chez groovin right in front of Bobby at the rail and of course Bird was there - Saw Boston Steve outside and kept looking for him inside, too, so I could encourage him to make his way to where we were, but no sighting - no StaggerLeeCT sighting either.... FL JEN, TD and I DID have a Bobby and Dennis McNally sighting, though - I asked the doorman of Lupos where to get the best coffee and he sent me down the alley to a little hole in the wall called the Coffee Can, I think. So, I asked TD and Jen if they wanted to join me and we passed the tour buses on our way down the alley. Jen thinks Bobby saw us and followed us - could be! cause he and Dennis came into the coffeeshop a few minutes after and we had conversations! I asked Bobby if he was going to finish the Weather Report Suite (since the online report had been, I thought, a partial) and he asked me what part he didn't play - I said that it had been reported as Part I, but he and Dennis both said they thought the whole thing had been played (I guess Let it Grow is considered part of WRS?)- When Jen asked Dennis for his autograph, he made a comment about it being 'quite a step down' but I told him he was certainly an icon and he and Bobby both signed my ticket - then Robin also signed it when we saw him on the street in front of the venue.... needless to say I BEGGED the authorities not to take my ticket so the guy was really sweet and only tore off the very end.... Robin also said that they really did enjoy seeing the dancers, and that made me feel great about dancing on the platform later! I didn't know there was such a place!!! It matches a fantasy I have had since the first days of the skeleton outfit.... seriously good fun!!! Such good rock 'n roll!!! Can you tell I am still flying high?!!!!! That Knockin on Heaven's Door was a highlight!! I will never forget this show. I thought Saturday night at the Beacon was good, but wow! Now I know why Dennis McNally is with these guys - it just might be the best music going on right now! Whereas Phil is very creative and has a big sound, Ratdog has cultivated a participation event which simply can't be overstated....
--------------------------------


Then there's Rich's off the Dot Org:

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:57 am    Post subject: LUCKY ENOUGH! LOOPED AT LUPOS!
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Lucky Enough!..to still see Bobby Weir perform! 4-20-2005
Like the way lost sailor rises..lucky enough appeared in a similar breathtaking way.

Lupos Best of the Three so far for me based on overall playing and heartfelt vocals!
Very emotional Weir last nite, and as I type this still I'm blown away! more so than the first two.......lot going on right now and EVERYTHING last nite was sung very emotionally by Bobby and contrary to another post, there were more than 1 blown line,,,in fact a few...but made no difference on this night...UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE! This tour IS WAY MORE THAN I EVER EXPECTED. How long he can keep this up i wonder...which is why I try to tune many other things OUT that are going on within the venue and just soak it up.....try to just maintain my groove/"SPOT"--yes....in Lupos if you were down on floor it was absolutely packed...and I got my share of the bumpity-bumpity folks coming and going, some even spilling a drop or two of beverage ON ME or my foot, interupting me by bumping THRU me in the middle of paradise...but big deal, right...in the grand scheme of things not really a bother to me given the quality performance...I wouldn't be in that "spot" if I did not want to be there..some jerks, but mostly cool...tolerance/kindness and common sense usually wins in this realm.... I just maintained and was able to groove in my space quite a bit actually. THE BAND DELIVERED BIG!! Did not move or drink a thing from my "spot" from opening Shakedown thru to the group bow. TWAS A NIGHT TO TAKE IT IN EVERY WORD, EVERY NOTE!
I will not complete review this just now...but....
RIDER! MK on the Les Paul on fire! and for those asking on other posts about WH, and for that matter, my take on what some call "post-GD".. tobblerone TODAY THIS IS THE BAND! "RATDOG", and if I may be so bold to coin a phrase from a fellow boarder, or "STFU". Whoevers been closelly tracking Ratdogs progression over the past 10 years knows what I'm talking about. No question on MKs playing nowadays thats for SURE!..been simply putting it over the top with great performances every time out on this tour in what may have seemed, at one time to him, like a roll or void to fill(bigshoes syndrome). From when I first saw him play, I knew he had what we wanted. Sounds selfish, huh? To me, he now appears to be in and of Himself with regards to his guitar playing and has a great handle of his role within the band. No question to me, WH is gifted, quite soulful, but for me a little of him goes a long way. Enough of that..back to last nite recap...The saxophone has been absolutely jubilant/reckless/soulful/inspiring/low/high/ simply amazing. Jay had those drums cooking last nite to the point of mind blow, and I loved the "420-Jam". Robin laying down the bass very capably, and YES some BOMBS if you will. and when JC gets "THAT" instrument going..YIKES! The magic, and key ingredient, imho, is Bobby. Yes it takes the entire sextet and then some to pull these shows off, but Every time I've seen him this tour I am really feeling like this could be the last time, but on the other hand, I'm thinking no way, he is sounding just too good. What it takes to put this bus together is a HUGE undertaking and takes a decent support structure to pull it off. Bob has got some absolutely FANTASTIC players with him keeping him "young". Bob is out there for US! Appreciate it while we have the opportunities. Thanks for letting me share some thoughts/opinions. Shows like this drive me to write I do believe after tour I may drum up an entire review of my trials and tribulations of the tour through my eyes......I met some of you from this board for the first time(you know who you are..I do believe I am who I am and probably meet a few more of you at these upcoming weekend shows and...ridgefield/electric fact.

holy schmokes...in the 80's the last 2 showdays...cooled down here a bit today.

I really wish I had tickets for some of you guys I met over the past few days who still are in need of a hampton beach or orpheum...you are a grate people... Word getting out that the gettin' is indeed very good

Theres a band out on the highway...they're high steppin into town!
Thank YOU BOBBY AND RATDOG!
Peace, Now More than Ever!

Born Cross-Eyed! (not that I am but felt the band last nite in that area of space for a bit.

Setlist:
4/20/05 ~ Providence, RI ~setlist
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Set 1~ Jam> Shakedown Street> She Belongs To Me> Minglewood Blues, Lucky Enough> Tennessee Jed> The Golden Road, (onstage setbreak) City Girls@ > The Weight@, Lost Sailor> Saint Of Circumstance> Lady WIth A Fan> Terrapin Station> Jam*+> Knocking On Heaven's Door> China Cat Sunflower> I Know You Rider

Encore~ Touch of Gray

*w/o Bobby
+ Jay doing a 420 Rap

That's what I'm talkin about!

A number of Summer shows are on the menu but first:
Tickets for the Phil Lesh and Friends show at the Warfield
on May 13 are still available, as are tickets for the May 15
SEVA benefit at the Berkeley Community Theatre.
===========================================
Bob Weir and RatDog will play the following shows:
Mail order for all these shows is now open, until further
notice:

Saturday, May 21:
A Benefit for Community Action Marin at the
Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium at Marin Center,
with Shana Morrison and Caledonia.
Show time is 7:00 PM.
Mail order tickets are available:
$153.00 for Orchestra pit seats (includes a 'meet and greet')
$78.00 Orchestra seats.
$53.00 Dress Circle seats
$38.00 for the last 4, 5 rows
So sorry. No taping....

For more information about the beneficiary please visit
www.communityactionmarin.org
======
Friday, June 10 at The Pageant, St. Louis, MO.
Doors open at 7.00 PM. Show time is 8:00 PM.
Mail order tickets are available:
Floor tickets - all ages at $28.00 per ticket.
Balcony tickets - 21 years and over only at $33.00 per ticket.
======
Thursday, September 1, co-headlining with Bruce Hornsby
at the Central Park Summerstage, New York, NY.
Doors open at 4:30 PM. Show time is 6:00 PM.
All tickets are General Admission at $42.50 per ticket.
==============================================
We are pleased to offer tickets for the following event:
Earthdance Northern California, 2005 on September
16, 17 and 18 at Black Oak Ranch, Laytonville,
Mendocino County, CA, home of the largest drum
circle ever....
Gates open at 8:00 AM Friday, September 16.
Main Stage music starts Friday at 4:00 PM.
Camping closes 12 Noon on Monday, September 19.

Acts confirmed so far:
Ani Di Franco
Michael Franti @ Spearhead.
We will update the line up as more information comes
to us. This is a really good start.

Mail order tickets are now available:
Early Bird tickets: $103.00
Regular tickets at $123.00 will be on sale as soon as the
early bird allotment sells out.
Sunday Only tickets: $63.00.

Prices include camping for vehicles with 3 or more people.
A $20.00 fee is payable for vehicles with fewer than 3 people.
Car pooling would be the thing to do....
================================================
We will also be assisting in ticket sales for this year's
Gathering of the Vibes in New York State on August 12, 13
and 14. We will post the details as soon as they are available.

The Crew of GDTSTOO
4.20.2005
photo taken 4/19/05 by RJ
And the 420 Good news is here
Nice photos on this Blog

Hoping this is not another hoax-

found at:
http://www.montereymedia.com/music/truckin_up_to_buffalo.html
Coming Soon!
Release Date 7/05/05


DVD Catalog #319952
160 minutes
UPC: 0 12233 19952 9
ISBN: 1-56994-241-2
$24.95
[Pre-Order]
........

Good gosh, Dates are popping up all over the place..I'm gonna break in a rash from all the excitement!
Read something about 2 nights at a festival at a Campground in Va for Jerry Garcia's Birhtday
Camp Sunshine Daydream- didnt pay attention because as we all know by now, irenie don't camp..especially in the South, especially in August...irenie likie the Euro multistar hotelies...
Read something about a NYC thing with Ratdog and Hornsby too, in September...
Also, an alledged Ratdog happening in ST Louis June 10th at The Pantages...I first wrote that as Seattle..

....................
Grateful Dead


Truckin' Up To Buffalo


Directed by Len Dell’Amico

Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, N.Y. July 4, 1989



The entire band is in peak musical form, making “Grateful Dead: Truckin' Up To Buffalo” one of the very best concerts. Arguably considered to be the Grateful Dead's best tour of their last 15 years of touring, this complete concert at Buffalo's Rich Stadium on July 4, 1989, features the quintessential Fourth of July song, “U.S. Blues.”



With the picture taken from the master 1" video tape, shot with six cameras, and featuring an outstanding new 5.1 and stereo mix produced from the master multi-track tapes, this nearly three hour concert features such staples as “Touch of Grey,” “Morning Dew,” “All Along The Watchtower,” “Deal,” “Terrapin Station,” and is sure to be a collector’s favorite!

Set One Set Two
Bertha > Touch Of Grey > All Along The Watchtower >
Greatest Story Ever Told Man Smart, Woman Smarter Morning Dew >
Walkin’ Blues Ship Of Fools > Not Fade Away
Row Jimmy Playing In The Band > Encore
When I Paint My Masterpiece Terrapin Station > U.S. Blues
Stagger Lee Drums >
Looks Like Rain> Space >
Deal I Will Take You Home >

Cutest lil review Here
4/19/2005 (Mon.) Calvin Theatre, Northampton, MA
I: Jam > Here Comes Sunshine > Maggie's Farm > Wang Dang Doodle, Bird Song > All Along the Watchtower > Weather Report Suite Prelude/Part 1 > Let It Grow
II: The Winners, Corrina, Bury Me Standing > Greatest Story Ever Told > Scarlet Begonias > Stuff > Sugaree > Bird Song > Foolish Heart
E: Liberty
thanks to Chez for the photos
.................
Someone on the TOOBoard heard tomorrow at 4:20 Eastern time, that Bobby is going to be a guest on Ken Dashow's radio show...I don't know if that's true but in case it might be- perhaps there will be something about it
Here..


..............



Tickets already arrived!
Row A!
Seats 1 and 3!

Heh!

Hopefully anyone interested in the Pre Show Reception will know to phone the Box office (number is in one of my very recent posts here there and around the internet)
And if youre waiting to order (May 20) Mark Karan and Buds SWEETWATER tickets- don't wait too long! The place is really tiny..Best time to call for tix is between 3 and 7PM -the number can be found inside the Mark Karan website the link is located right over where you see links on this page.
It's going to be a fun weekend! I already heard some of my favorite out of towners are coming up, down and sideways to get here for that weekend..
...........
Woke up to the radio, more precisely- I woke to the high pitched squeal of someone thanking Phil Lesh for the music...Hunh? Of course it was KFOG and the voice belonged to a caller...The next few calls were all just like the first one...We didnt get out to Kepler's but a fellow PreSchool teacher told me her husband and 14 yr old son stood in line since 3pm to get into Kepler's...They werent even the first people- they were #20 & #21! Unfortunately, She hadnt asked (nonHead) him what Phil said about anything (damn)..She did say the place was packed.

Such a pretty setlist!

I see a few favorites here! Too bad I DIDNT think to put them on my Fantasy choices!
I have slipped way-way down...ah, well.
..............................
04/17/05 ~ Westbury Music Fair - Westbury, NY

Westbury Music Fair website

I: Jam > Jack Straw > Supplication > Dark Star > Easy to Slip, Shade of Grey > Dark Star Jam > Big Railroad Blues
II: Bombs Away@, When I Paint My Masterpiece@4>6 > Even So > October Queen > The Deep End > Uncle John's Band > Samson and Delilah > Bass/Drums/MK > Uncle John's Band Jam > Dark Star > GDTRFB
E: Ripple@ (*-w/out Bob, Jeff, and Kenny, then w/out Bob, then full band)
.........................
Found out TONIGHT is a Phil Lesh booksigning in Menlo Park at the Fabby Kepler's! Not more than 15-20 minutes from my doorstep.

I wasnt planning to go to a signing...I have a Phil autograph (which is a whole nuther story) but it would fun to hear him speak..I fondly remember taking Jason to see Mickey Hart speak/sign stuff in Mt.View one year.. An experience Jason used in a paper he wrote about "The Mozart Effect"..
Sasha shocked me by revealing that She would go with me to hear Phil..."Since when do you find any of these guys soo interesting?" I asked Ms.Teenager.
She cracked me up with her answer "How can I be influenced if you never take me to things?"
Great.
Unfortunately, I dont think I(we) will be going tonight since Scott has softball and Noah can't be left alone.
..................................

Before I forget- learned about another website worth visiting- HERE!
....................
Whoa!
Took my time (well, not really I was at work) and phoned TM during my break...Horrifyed to learn the Meet & Greets were ALREADY sold out...So, I bought the next tier tix at $75 a piece...Then I thought about trying the box office. I think I woke them up? After requesting the Meet & greets, the Box lady asked me how I had already learned of this event? She actually asked me "So how close up do would you like to be?"
I bet you can jussssst guess where our seats are!
....................
Box office #=415 499-6800
..........................

04/15 & 16/05 ~ Beacon Theater, New York City, NY



4/15/05:Jam > Silvio > Tequila > West L.A. Fadeaway, Jam > Playin in the Band > Tomorrow Never Knows > Salt Lake City > Looks Like Rain > Tequila > Silvio > Iko Iko*, Me and Bobby McGee@3, Victim or the Crime@ > Easy Answers > He's Gone > Jam*+ > Dear Prudence*# > Corrina# > I Know You Rider#
E: Black Muddy River* (*-w/ Rob Barraco; +-without Bob and Jeff; #-w/ Paul Barrere, Richie Hayward, Paul Barrere, and Bill Payne. Mark Karan's 400th Show)
photo by Cousin Bud

4/16/05: Fly Away, Cassidy > Little Red Rooster > Odessa, Senor > Crazy Fingers > She Says > Eyes of the World, Lazy River Road@, Friend of the Devil@3>4, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl* > Ashes and Glass > Drums+ > Jam# > Come Together# > Cassidy > One More Saturday Night
E: Johnny B. Goode# > Brokedown Palace# (*-w/ ? (keys); +-w/ ? (percussion); #-w/ ? (keys) ~ First "Fly Away"; First "Crazy Fingers")
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GD Hall of famer enjoying the show-photo from Kevin Fritz

review for Phil's book
I've read as far as Pacific Recording Studio..Stopping for the delivery of the new furniture!
I'm liking Phil's wording a lot and always any mention of my Peninsula towns(Burlingame! San Mateo! Menlo Park!) makes me happy...While Grateful Dead is forever known as a San Francisco band, they started out HERE on the Peninsula...I have a vague idea of where the In Room in Belmont (where I live) mightve been (Old Country Road is literally on the other side of the tracks-lots of old bars)...Belmont has a most dedicated historical society that claims to know "the story behind every street name". If I get energetic enough, maybe I'll stop by and look through the archives for this "In Room" where the Warlocks rocked the house.
Back to Pacific Recording...My dad was friendly with one of the owners back in the day..I remember getting to go inside the studio when I was little...I'm wondering if that was where our Tippy (one of the Foreign exchange students we housed in the 60's) got the idea to drag me to see the Dead play in GG Park? If my folks werent somewhere in Asia, I'd give Dad a call to pick his brain about his friend (Paul Curcio?) who ran the studio...At the time, my ears only pricked up for mention of (Mickey Dolenz or Mike Nesmith).

Bay Area Alert!

Bob Weir, Ratdog, Shana Morrison, Caledonia
Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium At Marin Center, San Rafael, CA
Sat, May 21, 2005 07:00 PM



Additional Information
$150 ticket includes a meet and greet.
.........................................

WOOF!
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1C003A8FE180D9F3?artistid=736431&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

Reviews freshly picked

g gordon - 11:59pm Apr 15, 2005 PDT (#16062 of 16101)

wow, what a show tonite!... from looks like rain onwards the show just took off into interplanetary space.

went to check out mark w/ G-13 at BB King's afterhours and these guys are friggin' good. great vibe and musicianship, and it's easy to see why mark hangs w/ these guys... mark played a deep elem cover and a couple other of their tunes.

kenny, a.j. and others were there to hang out and party... anyone concerned about bobby's "situation" should forget about it: he's happy, super energetic, lots o' smiles and a big time bandleader tonite spreading the solos around at his whim, and eagerly taken up by the players.

big stars tonite: bobby and kenny... kenny was insane.
...................
Tiny Dancer - 05:37am Apr 16, 2005 PDT (#16071 of 16101)

That was the best Dear Prudence I've ever heard, that's for sure.
....................

Stream?!

Supposedly the philzone is streaming tonight's Ratdog show (how awesome!)
I guess we'll find out
Look HERE!

YAY! It will still be early here on the Best Coast!
Rumors of Phil sitting in...

Little Feat opened and their setlist is already online;

Little Feat, Beacon Theatre, NYC 4/15/05

Setlist:
Hate To Lose
One Clear Moment>
Just Another Sunday
Spanish Moon
Willin'
(Jamacian National Anthem)
Night On The Town
It Takes Alot To Laugh Takes A Train To Cry
Fatman In The Bathtub>
Get Up Stand Up>
Fatman In The Bathtub

see ya later!

It's almost Wavy's berthaday!

How about for his big day, we vote to bring back his flavor?
It's simple go HERE and vote for Wavy Gravy...Remember some of the profits go to Camp Winnarainbow scholarships. Two of my kids have gone to Winnarainbow and love/d it.

Goldberg's a GENIUS

I say that every April 15th after Goldberg has done our taxes..This year was a mathy one too with the selling & buying of homes and also the inheritence stuff...God/dess bless you Goldberg!

What I really wanted was the Audio version of the Phil Lesh book...But it's not coming out til next month...Could I wait a month? I do enjoy listening to books while doing arts & crafts...I listened to "The Lovely Bones" & also some Anne Rice novel(I'm not a big fan but Scott is and we had it on tape and as you can see, I can't even remember the title) while sewing 500 sachets for Rex...Howsabout that for time manangement? I was thinking that I could work on the bead trellis while listening to Phil tell me his stories...I've been listening to Bobby talking all week via downloaded cd of his XM interview. I loved that!
OKay, well, instead of waiting the inner Capricorn noticed it is Teacher Discount Weekend at Borders and that means 25% Off on books, cds, dvds for me! Even had today's pay stub with me so went ahead and got the book....Saw another book that had me thinking of my friend Lynnie -the one who was a PA to JLH & for a short while, she worked for yucky Don Johnson. The other book, I almost bought is called "Chore Whore" and is written by a PA that Lynnie used to know (i recognized her name & photo)
I know the STAR that Heather used to PA for and remember hearing about some of the crazy Crazy antics that went on...I didnt buy the book, First Phil, then the Rat book and then maybe, if I'm still in the mood, I'll go back for 'Chore Whore"...
...........
Hopefully the setlist will be another play by play on Dot Org! Scott and Noah are going to the beloved Warrior game tonight and so I can observe the internet in peace.
..............



Life after Spring Tour!
Poster by Alan Hess

Time out!

I will miss the excitement of the setlist watch tonight...

Hippy Berthaday to Bird, May she access the Beacon rail with ease!
.................................................................................................

David Gans reviews Phil's book (reposted on Deadnet from the Well:
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David Gans - 09:18am Apr 7, 2005 PDT (#40 of 53)

(re-posted from a discussion in the WELL:

I got about three quarters of the way through Phil Lesh's book, "Searching for the Sound," on my flight home Tuesday night (the only upside to having spent two hours on the runway at George Fucking Bush Intercontinental Kleptocrat Airport). I am more than impressed. It's really, really good. He covers a tremendous amount of ground concisely, with brilliant turns of phrase, abundant affection, and more than adequate candor.

I haven't gotten to the sad part of the tale yet, but if he carries this tone through the rest of the book I will not be disappointed.

A few passages I marked:

"... I needed to become the foundation, along with the drummer, of the un- folding of time through which music manifests out of silence. In some ways, that role is more interesting than the lead voice, because the bassist cogenerates not only rhythm, but the nature and the rate of harmonic motion, so that the archetypal character of the music is clearly defined."

"If we'd only had eyes to see, the whole Summer of Love catastrophe could have been read as a metaphor for the Grateful Dead's future: the influx of hard drugs, the increasing isolation from and indifference to one another, the resultant failure of communication and shared responsibility."

"Keith's persona... was a perfect foil for the often abrasive, in-your-face, saber-toothed front affected by most of us. A small, shaggy, delicate, melancholic young man, self-effacing almost to the point of exasperation, he evoked in us a kind of tenderness that had been lacking in our music (and our relationships with one another) -- something we hadn't known was missing until it became part of our gestalt. At first, his playing was so smooth, so harmonious*, that even in the wildest free-form improvisations or the most raucous rockers, his presence served as a gently beckoning gravitational force -- reminding us to refrain from drifting off into our own personal ego-spaces."
------------------------------------------------------------------------

What kind of hippy are you?
..................................................................................................
What else?
No Law School news...argh!
Hooray- the new couch & chairs are being delivered Sunday!

Sorry to not have final pictures of the vanity...here are the 2 pix I took at 2 am...I had just begun painting the desktop service at that point...Aside from the stuff that is there- I added some swirlies and starry shapes...I was told there were many bids..don't know who has it or what was the final bid, though..

...........................


Johnnie Johnson

Review from Chez off Deadnet & Dot Org-

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Chez
Board Regular
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 490
Location: Virginia
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 6:11 am    Post subject: 4/13 Review
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While I enjoy the hell out of just about every Ratdog show I attend, there are shows.....and then there are SHOWS!!! and this one falls into the latter category.

Surprise #1 of the night. I had a ticket that read "Pit/C." Dumbass I am, I'm thinking that it's Pit 3rd Row. I should learn to look at the Row assignment too. Row 1, Seat 212. Hello Hammond organ. Ruby know me well.

So I grab my spot right as the lights are dimming. High energy Jam that slams into a BIG Truckin' opener. Jeff had Brent's old Hammond singing loud and clear as they fired along and got the place spinning and moving. Jam button stuck on from the getgo tonight.

Segue into Loser. Bobby's voice has come back sooooooooo much. 3rd night in a row and no noticeable strain at all. Rest is good! MK stepped up on this one, as he was all night. He and Bobby have developed even more telepathy and Robin has really come into his own (and is now mixed accordingly) and us fans are the lucky beneficaries.

TMTTR - I thought it was "Loose Lucy" at the start. Even wrote down the wrong thing on my setlist. They definitely teased the intro to LL, but then swung it right into River. Very fitting as I'm staying this week with a buddy who lives on the Deleware (and his house was flooded last weekend, so it was for him even more than for me). MARKMARKMARKMARK....can't say enough about him tonight. And more and more Hammond.

Josephine - When this song rocks as hard as it did tonight, you've got a special show playing out in front of you.

Lucky Enough - Nice extended piano intro that connected straight to my boogie center. I absolutely LOVE this tune and this version may have been the single best I've ever heard. MK took us for a ride with a monster solo in the middle that lifted the place up to the cosmos, spun it around and around orbiting and then a lightning reentry bringing our souls back to the pavement.

Ramble - Had some crowd issues around me during this one and was a bit distracted. Guy in a wheelchair was being moved through the CROWDED aisle and it was a little hairy for a few minutes as he was being navigated out. Never got my head totally back into the song. Luckily for me, a full stop gave me time to pull things back together.

Wrong Way - SICKSICKSICK. Turned the power up even another notch and just rocked us senseless.

Truckin Jam - SICKSICKSICKSICKSICKSICKSICK. Take the opening Truckin, multiply by 100 and add a feverpitch crowd.

Deal - They did it so well I didn't even think "Why isn't MK singing this." Great closer for a great set.

Blackbird - Needed the Fantasy points, perfectly played, and a girlfriend who was VERY happy to hear it. Couldn't ask for much more for a 2Op.

El Paso - This was supposed to be the 2Op, but they added Blackbird. This was an excellent version with a nice lope to it. Little wish that Jeff would have come out for it and added a little extra percussive drive to it, but I got over it real quickly.

1/2 Step - Eternity was on the setlist between El Paso and this and Robin played with Eternity for the entire intro before Bobby stepped up and lead them into it. Somebody wrote a while back that Ratdog "puts the toodeloo" back into this song and I think that's the most dead-on way to describe it that I've ever heard. And another river tune for Mike...."across the raging river" foreshadowing the trip into NYC possibly. Or maybe my mind is/was working in extra circles.....didn't matter much at the time as I was too busy dancing.

TOO - Ripsnortingfirebreathing insanity. They did the lead-in that can often be a tease, but it was clearly an Other One night from the getgo and they SLAMMED into it. Gotta hear it again to hear Robin's bass roll a little more clearly, but it sounded like a pretty classic Philstyle thunder intro ala 3/30/04 at the 9:30. Raging through the first verse, then dropping into a mellower groove. Mari and I were talking after and we weren't sure if they were losing it a little or just brought it down. There were no signs of confusion or struggling, so I think the jam just evolved into a slower pitch so they could build it right back up for the 2nd verse and slam us senseless all over again.

Help - Once again, MK going crazy and the extra layer of percussion with AJ and Vadeem was very nice. Kind of an abbreviated Slipknot, but the Help was jammed so thoroughly it didn't matter. Enough of a Slip to let Robin throw down some big fat booming notes.

Stuff - Keys, touchpad, drums, and percussion. Jeff on cowbell at the start making into essentially a drums section (with touchpad). Jay had the biggest smile on his face with the crew members beside him and gave them a nice acknowledgement at the end. Robin joined about 3/4 of the way through, then Bobby and MK back out and a quick stop before

Wharf Rat - Of all the Jerry ballads Bobby sings, I think he OWNS this one more than any other. His voice, his spirit....this song just fits him like a glove and with Jeff making the Hammond sing channeling Brent's spirit................ahhh. Tears on Bobby's face during this one.

Two Djinn - VERYVERY sweet intro to this. Pretty much a standard style Jeff piano solo to start (standard NOT being a dig at all), then around again with Jay tossing himself into the fray and some really sweet interplay between the two of them. Textbook version of the song. Not as swirly as it's often played - more rocking and straightforward inyourface style jamming.

Slip/Franklin's - Big, bouncy, swirly fun to end it and Fantasy points to add the cherry on top!

Brokedown - More tears from Bobby and just a beautiful poignant version that was a fitting tribute to JJ. Holding Mari in my arms and hearing Bobby sing "I love you more than words can tell" is one of the greatest feelings in the world.

Thank you Ratdog. See you Friday!

10/10 - Like a Swiss Watch
_________________
BadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerBack to top

The show's already over?!

per Dot Org

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jammin' john
Board Regular
Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 1415
Location: bermuda triangle
Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2005 3:37 pm    Post subject: ratdog 4/13/05 setlist (thanks lizardking)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
set 1
jam>
truckin
loser
loose lucy(bobby screwd up,no loose lucy)
take me to the river>
loser>
take me to the river
lucky enough
ramble on rose
wrong way feelin(bobby on slide)
truckin jam
deal

set 2
blackbird(acoustic bobby robin mark)
el paso(acoustic bobby robin mark)rest of the band is coming out.
half step (electric)
the other one
help on the way>
slipknot
estimated or was it Wharf Rat?
two djinn
franklins tower

encore
brokedown palace


Another Article on Bobby & Ratdog
_________________

RIP Johnnie Johnson

Review

Photographs by Chez

ALA Deadnet-

Robbie F - 06:44am Apr 13, 2005 PDT (#15639 of 15688)
"Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best." - the girl from the bus

Quite a fun time last night at the Starland Ballroom, with an anything goes attitude and light security to boot. Opening jam sounded like it might be heading into an electric Victim, which would have heen extra sweet, but Stranger also started things off very strongly. All was well played in the first set. Bob's tourdog mentality makes So Many Roads a perfect tune for him. There were some rough patches in Picasso Moon, but I thought the jam in this song made up for it with some of the strongest improv of the set. Shade of Grey build up to a very rocking climax.

Second set kicked things up from the first. Always dig The Winners and Deep Elem was made extra tasty by Kenny's low end contributions on baritone sax. Althea was a real treat with some very tasty slide work from Bob, as is usual on this tune IMO. Mark Karan was also really hitting everything very nicely tonight, with an approach that reminded me of Robbie Robertson - only letting the best notes squeeze out. And then they turned to their rockin Stonesy side with Last Time (and later NFA & JBG), and pulled this material off about as well as the Stones do these days. Add a tasty rendition of Black Peter and it was a fun night indeed.

4 more to go this week :~)





Damn!
The 72 GD release I read and posted yesterday turned out to a hoax!
WAH!
the thing was apparently started HERE sORRY!

From Rex:

Bill Walton, Rex Foundation Advisory Board member, will feature Rex this Saturday, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time on his Sirius Satellite Radio show, One More Saturday Night. Go to http://www.sirius.com/jamon to find out more about the show. I will be on air with Bill to talk about Rex, mixed with music that goes with and beyond the words. We hope you’ll listen in and pass this message on to others who would enjoy the show.



In 2004 we celebrated the Rex Foundation’s 20th Anniversary and our granting of almost $8 million to some 1,000 grassroots programs across the United States and internationally over the past two decades. All of us, connected through our love of the music have made this giving possible.



We begin our third decade with a new way to further this connection – the Rex Community Caravan – a virtual vehicle for philanthropy, where each of us can make a real difference with just $5 or more. See http://www.rexfoundation.org/RCC/rcc_y.html.



We envision traveling with “busloads” of kindred spirits on the vast Internet super highway. Our concept of the Caravan is to have thousands of people each contribute $5 or more, a true grassroots fundraising effort, to help us continue to fund organizations that foster peace, harmony, economic and social justice.



This is still a new concept, as we have not been accustomed or culturally geared to asking for contribution dollars. Since December 2001, we have been transitioning from an organization funded by the Grateful Dead to a more community based organization that will serve as the vehicle for the greater community to continue the mission.



Stay tuned for upcoming e-mails that announce our 2005 benefits, many featuring the next generation of musicians who want to help carry on what the Grateful Dead started, as well as the enhancements we’re making to our website to feature music, visuals and beneficiary stories.



Thanks for being part of the Rex Foundation philanthropic community. Together, we can make all the difference in the world.

Dead Man Talking

WOOOOOF!

Oh my gosh,

so many photographs from this week are out there and they are ALL (;O) wonderful!!!!!!!!!
Be sure to check out Norman Sands and Alan Hess's websites! Links to both sites are on this page.
.........................................................

An article on Ratdog with Dennis McNally!
.........................................................
I finished "Starstruck"...Of course, it was all fascinating to me since I've been a fan of Bobstar's for about 30 years...
For the longest time, only a handful of folks in my everyday life had ever heard of him...Everyone knew the Grateful Dead, most could nod at the mention of Jerry Garcia...But tell them "Bobby Weir" and mostly had to go back and start at Grateful Dead...A real delight to come online in 95 (AOL's Grateful Dead Forum) and to be able to find a few people who WANTED to talk about him!
But back to the book, it's given me much to ponder...I enjoyed reading that the thrills and ills of being a fan are pretty common experiences no matter who your icon is...it's sort of comforting.
..................................................................
How did I forget to put this one in yesterday?? It's off dot org by Topher!
 Post subject: U guys aren't going to believe this!! My day at Foxwoods:)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Merry Meet everyone:)


First off, I just wanted to say "WOW" The first ratdog show I've seen since last spring, and the boys are just on fire!!! But anyone who went to Foxwoods could tell U that.. What I'm really writing about is what happened right before the show.. My Buddy Kirk came down from VT, and we drove to the show which is about 1 1/2 hours from me.. I just bought a 100 gig MP3 (yes I know MP3's suck) player for my new Dogde Ram Quad cab, so it made the trip really sweet to have 100+ ratdog shows at my disposal. I took a couple of hundred dollars with me, since I didn't have a ticket and needed one, and I wanted to drop $100 on the slots.. Since I don't gamble, this was going to be a treat for me, cause I've nver really played the slot, and I've NEVER been to Foxwoods. So about an hour before the show, me and Kirk went over to the $1 slots and I let the machine eat my $100 bill, which it did eagerly. Let me preface this next part by saying that being a good pagan/witch I never go into something like this without magickal help, so Kirk and I made up a really simple spell, using the God Jupiter, who is the God of money and sucess. The spell/chant was really simple "Jupiter, Jupiter, hear my plea, make this slot machine win for me!!!!" I know, I didn't goto the samantha stevens school of incantation, but I thought it would work. Kirk sits next to me and puts in $20 and we're off.. I start chanting and hitting the button. I keep hitting the button and I get down to like $40, but I press on, and win enough to get back up to $150... I keep chanting and pressing the button till I get down to $122 and the button stopped working. Before I could open my eyes, to see what had happened, I hear Kirk gasp, and then the bell started ringing.. I open my eyes, and the machine was flashing $1800/122. I let out a shreek that even Allison would be proud of, and every blue haired old lady within earshot came a runnin. the nice man came over and checked the machine to make sure I wasn't cheating somehow, and went to go get the pitboss and my money.. As soon as he left Kirk went back to playing his slot, and low and behold, he hit it for $200 (Praise Jupiter!!). Anyways, I was happy and trotted off to George and the merch table and bought 1 of everything, got a ticket and went into the show..


This is were the story getts weird.. As usual the crowds in the North East were a bit agro, and it seemed that everyone that I encountered was rude to me.. This always happens to me in the North East, I should be used to it, since I live here now... Anyways, this one guy really got me down, so I decided to go out and have a butt, and buy a coke.. I got out there, and looked over at the slot machines, and decided to atleast give back the $100 I came down with back to the casino. I walk over to the same machine.. sat down.. and started chanting, I got down to like $10 and the bells went off again, I looked up and I had won another $600!!!! PRAISE JUPITER!!!!!!!

Needless to say, I really enjoyed Ratdog at Foxwoods, regardless of how shitty people were to me. The show Rocked! I won a bundle of money! Thanx Bobby!! AND THANK YOU JUPITER!!!
_________________
Blessed Be!!

Topher:)

Chez's Review & Tonight's setlist from Ratdog dot org

Thanks to Doc & Jammin John, we got a play by play of tonight's show...
Love that!

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:19 pm    Post subject: ratdog 4/11/05 setlist(keep checking just gonna edit)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 set
here comes sunshine>
music never stopped>
queen jane
walking blues
big boss man
tennessee jed
its all over now>
she says>
music never stopped>
eyes of the world

2 set
desolation row (bobby mark jay robin)acoustic
corrina (mark electric)
golden road (electric)
estimated prophet>
wheel>
jam (w/o bobby)>
knokin on heavens door
sugar magnolia>
sushine daydream

encore
touch of gray
__
And then Bonus! Chez posted his impressions (from Deadnet)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chez - 09:52pm Apr 11, 2005 PDT (#15451 of 15451)
Let Mark Sing!

Really strong, rockin' show tonight. They came out ready to rock from the getgo. No fucking around with an opening jam. Just straight into HC Sunshine. Very nicely played and either I'm adjusting to Bobby singing it or he's getting better at it or both, because his vocals on it worked for me tonight for the first time. Nicely jammed out at the end leading into an above average MNS. Robin really asserted himself during the MNS, a trend that would last all night. He was very prominent in the mix, especially from my vantage point in the front row on his and Mark's side of the stage. (I know, I know....it was VERY weird!)

Queen Jane was Queen Jane. Well played, but nothing special.

Walkin' Blues was FABULOUS and I'm not a fan of the song. They ripped it from start to finish. Bobby struck a pose during it (unfortunately I had just put down my camera) with one hand behind his head and the other on his hip with his butt thrust to one side. The Doggiegirlscouts would have gone nuts.

Full stop into the song of the first set - Big Boss Man. Just knocked outta the park. First Kenny taking control, then MK absolutely TEARING it to pieces. Jeff on Hammond the entire time (good bit of Hammond tonight, btw, and it was mixed very well...I really think it's a midwest phenomenon, JS).

Tenn Jed was good, but again, nothing special. Just a solid version and a rowdy singalong.

All Over Now - High energy dancefest. Very well played.

She Says - I could hear it every night, especially when played like this. They nailed it. Liberty teases at the end, then Jeff played a few measures of Eyes before they went back into MNS for the "Never stopped, never stopped..." part before dropping into a MAMMOTH "Eyes" to close the set. MK's solo was good, but a little short. Kenny made up for it, though. He just wouldn't quit when it was his turn and kept taking it higher and higher. Then Robin delivered a huge bass solo than took them into Stronger Than Dirt, then back around into the Eyes Outtro to close things out.

Very very nice set. Everything was at worst very nicely played and the entire band was very high energy and having a blast. Lots and lots of smiles onstage all night.

Chez - 10:03pm Apr 11, 2005 PDT (#15452 of 15453)
Let Mark Sing!

Set Two

Very short intro to Desolation. For a second, I thought it was Bobby McGee, but I was PSYCHED when Bobby started singing Desolation. Couple of glances at the teleprompter during it, but with that many words, who can fault him. I'm glad it's up there. Very well read version of one of my favorite Dylan tunes.

Corrina - SMOKED. 'Nuff said. Robin on his upright creating some huge booming bass notes.

Golden Road - Needs some work. Good song for them, especially the chances for Jeff/Kenny interplay, but they've got some kinks to iron out. Good choice for tonight in that slot as it fit in with the high energy performance. Hopefully they continue to polish it as it could be a bigtime winner for them.

Estimated - See Corrina but w/o Robin on upright. Classic "HAAAAAAAAAAs" to end it. Robin EXTREMELY prominent during this one.

Wheel - A little uneven, but the reggaeish breakdown made it into a winner in my book.

Stuff Segment - Spooky and weird. Jeff on hammond for most of it with Kenny laying down some really bizarre sounds from the touchpad and Robin alternating from thundering over top of things to wrenching some weird dissonant almost feedbacky (can't describe it too well) sounds from his bass. I really enjoyed it. Not your everyday jazzy stuff segment; more of an evil Space type of feel to it which followed up Estimated nicely (even though Wheel came between them)

Knockin' - Nice to hear Bobby on electric on it as a change of pace. I was struck by how much stronger his voice sounds than it did in Phoenix in Feb.

Sugar Mag->SSDD - Just flat out RIPPED. Windmills, leg kicks, HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAs...Bobby being Bobby. MK seized it and faced off with him for a while and they just fed off each other taking it higher and higher and higher. We're talking fever pitch closer to a rockin' night.

Touch - I'm so glad they kept rocking for the encore. I was expecting Ripple, which wouldn't have been the right way to end a show like tonight's.












in the email bag-
Hey Friends,

Spring has sprung, and the FOBs are doing what we can to further elevate the seasonal spirits. Here’s the dope on two upcoming shows that may enhance your mod, should you choose to partake. This Sunday, we’ll be playing at 12 Galaxies, at a benefit for the nonviolent protestors who had pepper spray applied to -- not sprayed in – their eyes by what one might call Improper Authorities. David Nelson will be joining us, and we understand Melvin Seals will be doing a set as well. Should be big fun. And then on Wednesday, April 20 (that’s 4/20, for those of you who are numerically inclined), we’ll be kicking off the season of free noontime concerts in Union Square and Yerba Buena Gardens. This one will be in Union Square, and we expect this hump day picnic to be the high point of the week for those who stop by.

The nitty gritty:

********************* Sunday, April 17, 2005 *********************

A Benefit For The Pepperspray 8

Twelve Galaxies Nightclub,
2565 Mission St.,
San Francisco, CA

Doors at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m., FOBS TBD

With the FOBS, David Nelson, Melvin seals, Wavy Gravy, Chet Helms
Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door, with a sliding scale to $50.
Available at www.virtuous.com and at the door on show night.


******************* Wednesday, April 20, 2005 *******************

Free Noontime Concert

Union Square (between Geary and Post, and Stockton and Powell Sts.)
San Francisco, CA


One more good reason to visit http://www.fob.com :

**** Free Music ****

There is a new Pay It Forward release in the works. We’ve heard the word “Slim’s” in furtive whispers around the rehearsal studio. What could it mean? To find out, all you need to do is register: read on!

If you aren’t familiar with it, Pay It Forward is a program under which we distribute high quality recordings of live shows to fans who promise to make copies and pass them on to friends. The deal is simple. You sign up in the Tapers’ Section of our website (http://www.fob.com) and we send you free CDs. All we ask is that you make copies and give them to three friends or more. More is definitely better. The whole idea is to spread the music far and wide.

*******************************************************************

***** Roger Wrote A Book!!!! *****

That’s right. Our lead singer and “conductor” wrote a book. It’s called The New Normal and was published in November by the Portfolio imprint of Penguin Books.

The New Normal is a roadmap for making the most of family, career, and your personal finances in a world turned upside down by technology and globalization, but where individuals have new and exciting opportunities.

The book is available at bookstores everywhere and through Amazon.com.

Roger has also started a blog. The book was the excuse, but the blog covers all sorts of stuff. It is available at http://www.thenewnormal.com. Check it out.

*******************************************************************

The Flying Other Bros are:
Roger McNamee, rhythm guitar
Ann McNamee, percussion
Jim Sanchez, drums
Pete Sears, keyboards
Barry Sless, lead and pedal steel guitar
Bert Keely, guitar and trumpet
TBone Tony Bove, harmonica
Bill Bennett, bass

........................


....
Review-sorta-from a dot org-er
       RatDog.Org Forum Index -> Message Board
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MVotter
Board Regular
Joined: 21 Feb 2005
Posts: 44
Location: Upstate New York
Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 9:30 am    Post subject: Turning Stoned was a Mission In My Brain...
------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a two-night stand…Turning Stone house-band. We don’t often get the chance in smaller venue cities to experience a multi-night booking. But, there is something very special about it. Everybody gets to settle-in, get reaaaaalllly comfortable and boogie, and boogie and goddamn boogie.

“How many of you people were here last night?” the local DJ asked the Friday night TS crowd. His question was answered with an affirmative roar from the audience. “Alright! How many of you were here two years ago?”…the response was a little softer…”How many of you were at the Utica Auditorium show in 1973?”… a few people clapped…”ahhh, if you’re clappin’ I KNOW you weren’t there…because if you were there, man, you’d never be able to remember it!”

The beauty of the back-to-back bookings harkens back to the legends of the Warfield, the Filmore(s), Dozin’ at the Knick, Boston Garden, Madison Square Garden, etc. It adds an extra feeling of intimacy…when the “family” can take root for a couple of nights. It showed in the band. It showed in the crowd.

I’ve never seen so many genuinely happy peeps in a 48 hour period in my life. We danced every tune like it was gonna’ be “last dance” on Thursday…and Friday, as if to acknowledge a crowd which had bopped ‘til they dropped the night before, the Doggies played a more laid-back groove…still shakin’ bones, but an “Eased-up Odessa” tempo adjustment had been made…which proves-out; Bob’s a friggin’ master at the craft.

Verona, NY’s version of “Nightfall of Diamonds” became two nights of precious “Turning Stones”.

PEACE, OTT

Back from dinner...lots of fun...We love when the folks ask what we want from their travels! I supressed the urge to shout out MikiMoto!...Actually, I think we can get almost whatever "they" have here in Japan Town-across the street from The Fillmore...We all wanted dragon shirts except for Sash who wants a kimono...

By the way she shines...

Sunny Sunday!
And I've got most of it to myself!
I'm listening to the latest podcast (addy is amiong my links) YUM- Cowboy songs!!!
One of these daze, I'm gonna create an "album" of cowboy songs for my iPod...
Scott and kids plus friend of kids (what a nice Daddy!) are at Pac Bell to enjoy the beloved Giants. I'm doing my laundry and trying to type up curriculum highlights & reviews for my classes..then if I can resist the sunshine, I'll dig into another essay in my new book.
The first chapter/essay was about autograph hunters and a variety of folks who have created a business serving fans via selling autographs, constructing fan websites and running fan clubs. There are businesses where folks merely check fanmail for threats- the rest get shredded and those celebrities never personally see any of it!
My first Bobby autograph was obtained for me by my friend. Lynnie was JLH's PA (private Assistant) and part of her research in creating some type of fan club for JLH (which she started and ran for about a year)included writing to musicians to find out the hows and whys of how requests were granted..For me, she wrote to GD offices - the addy was their offices in the old building in San Rafael. About six mos after sending a kinda generic letter requesting an autograph from Bobby- she received the 8x10 glossy you see here in this picture-

Now that I think of it, Lynnie was also responsible for obtaining the 2nd autograph...She was working with JLH at a concert in honor of someone (Santana?) in Los Angeles, The Grateful Dead were playing too. I guess when things werent too crazy, she managed to pick out Bobby and got him to write & sign a little 'hey Now, Irenie" on the back of a stub for me...She also had Mickey Hart sign it. I was thrilled beyond belief when she gave this to me! Oy! with my name included and a story of her getting to actually SPEAK with him! She was highly amused at my total JOY.. she was getting to meet EVERYBODY because of John Lee, and didnt get why I could pass up meeting The Rolling Stones to watch a TV movie(they used to visit JLH at his house) yet totally go frothing nuts at the thought of meeting Mr Bob Weir. C'mon, what would I have to say to Mick or Keith? I'm not such a big RS fan.

Though I do have a bit of a cache of Bobby signatures- mostly had to get them as they were obtained via appearences where Bobby's main function was to sign stuff. The signatures in the above photo were granted at a cd signing in Portland.. At that signing, Bobby was kind enough to sign 3 copies of Chile Pepper magazine -one for each of my kids (the issue featuring his sauce-the editors published my Weir recipe as part of the feature)
I guess I could go on endlessly about my autographed stuff and how I feel about the items.
Instead, I better get to those curriculum reports! Going to a Bon Voyage dinner for my parents tonight. They are heading to tour Japan & Far East tomorrow for several weeks.

Foxwoods Show
Jam > Cassidy > Bird Song > Easy to Slip > Supplication > Easy to Slip, Loose Lucy > Bird Song Jam@ > Lazy River Road@ > Bird Song Jam > Big Railroad Blues, Candyman@, Friend of the Devil@4, Looks Like Rain@, West L.A. Fadeaway > Scarlet Begonias > Jam* > Come Together > Bird Song > Cassidy > One More Saturday Night

E: Brokedown Palace (*-without Bob)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

...................................................
review (4-08-05 from deadnet;

ScottClayton - 05:05am Apr 10, 2005 PDT (#15266 of 15332)
I'm posting this twice cuz you folks need to hear my report from the Turning Stone...

YO! AMAZING SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did not see the 7th, but the show on the 8th was so far beyond my wildest expectations, it's hard for me to find the words to describe it! I'm not kidding. I was not even much of a RD fan, per say. Honestly I've always leaned more toward PLQ... I believe those days are now over...

Mark Karan (and the band) friggin' NAILED IT!!! They were tight as a drum and the jams and tunes were very fluid. They functioned at an extremely high level. A well-oiled machine is how I'd describe it.

Though the biggest thing was Bobby!!!! Again for this show I was dead center maybe 5 feet from the stage and I am so happy to report back that Bob is healthy and smiling throughout the show and, for me, all I can say is; THE OLD BOBBY!!!!

They whipped that crowd into such a frenzy at the end it really was ridiculous! And on the ride home I could hardly concentrate on driving, I could not stop thinking about the show, or how I would convince nay-sayers that this was the hottest thing I'd seen in a very, very, very long time. This show made a quite an impression on me!

A phenomanal performance that has me looking to hit one more show! And coining 2005 as The Yeir of Weir!

How about that?!
Bob-tiks can be found HERE
........
Two long daze of weekend are here! I'm busy-busy! Finishing up with trades and feeling a need to read the old fashioned way (which doesnt include a computer) bought a book of esseys on Fandom...I was about to purchase a fascinating book on Rats (I prefer non fiction & history)...But a recently published book caught my eye over on the hardcover table...The title is "Starstruck" and more info on it can be found HERE!. I've read 1/2 of an essey or chapter and already identifyed paralells to the various Weir freaks & Deadheads I know & love...Looks like good reading- I'll get around to the Rats another time...I still need to find Stav's book (available in the UK but not here) and eventually I might get a hold of Phil's book...

Everyone's doing The Birthday Happy Dance!

photo by ALAN HESS
...........................
April 8th Birthday Bambinos:

and
Where does the time go?!
.............................................

4/8/2005 (Fri.) Turning Stone Casino, Verona, NY

I: Tomorrow Never Knows > She Belongs to Me > Cold Rain and Snow, Salt Lake City, Wrong Way Feelin', The Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion, Senor, Truckin > The Other One Jam > Truckin

II: Blackbird@3, Odessa@, Black-Throated Wind@ > Even So > October Queen > The Deep End > Lady with a Fan > Terrapin > Jam* > At a Siding > Terrapin Flyer > Standing on the Moon > Corrina

E: U.S. Blues

*-without Bob

First "The Golden Road to Unlimited Devotion"

4-07-03

4/7/2005 (Thu.) Turning Stone Casino, Verona, NY
I: Bury Me Standing Jam > Shakedown Street > Jam > Maggie's Farm > Mission in the Rain > Youngblood > Row Jimmy > Sitting in Limbo > Tequila > Silvio > Tequila > Silvio > Tequila > Silvio > Bury Me Standing > Women are Smarter


II: Me and Bobby McGee@4, Mexicali Blues@5, When I Paint My Masterpiece@ > Ramble On Rose > Good Morning Little Schoolgirl > Ashes and Glass > Jam* > Space > Help on the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower
E: Liberty

oohing and oying

Almost a special day for a few of my favorite youths!
.....................................................................
So tired...but that mumzeeeeer is now in the hands of the auction people- who seemed very pleased with it ..I dont even want to talk about it...I think I took a picture at about 3 AM of it, then this morning & afternoon added some more stuff...Will post this weekend- I'm so sleepy-ready to veg, but have a few links which Scott found in our Chronicle "for the blog"...
Weve got another excerpt from the Phil book- A Eurotale
and
this one- Ihavent read it yet, but see it involves some very familar Hippies, freethinkers and Geeks Are you in there David Gans??? It's about another favorite web stop- The Well (I still need to rejoin- maybe this summer)..

and one more just found on Dot Org-
Warren Haynes writes about the Dead HERE
Dave & Sunshine-Have jolly good fun at Govt Mule!

watching paint dry...

Yes I am!
The beginning of the end of this particular project is here...I went through a bout with self doubt and undid some of what I did late last night>early early morning...People die of sleep deprivation- good thing I'm over worrying about this as it's gotta go to JCC tomorrow. One more day/night & it would be the vanity project that killed me....I've decided I dont care that the shade of green I'm replacing the too cool blue with is sort of funky & sinister it has to stay no time left to ...Start Againhen......I conducted a survey of about 7 women sharing the paint aisle with me . Showing them the shade of pink and holding up a bag of buttons - I asked them to choose which of 3 possible greens -celadon, moss and this weird green that they felt would look best... Each one of them chose weird green and against my preference for moss..I went with weird green- which sort of looks like supernaturally bright split pea soup. Came home, primed, drew some designs on the bench and the table surface, now waiting for the first coat of greeeen to dry- then I'll fill in my designs- a button up boot, a purse, a fan and a bow, then 2nd coat of greeeeen...that will dry, then it will be touch up time and if I'm still standing, I give the surfaces a thick coat of varnish goop...maybe I'll take it over in the morning or wait til after work...
........
should be drying soon...please!
........
what am I gonna do with all these leftover buttons?
...............................................
I have no DoggyBobby news- no time to scroll around-just a few friendly stops in the regular places...Excited for everyone heading to Verona! We considered that one but Friday is Jase's birthday and he probably wouldnt want to spend the weekend housesitting hanging out with his sibs..
....................
Remember I got excused from jury duty a while back?
Looks like the trial is about over..
Sad

Setlist-Scroll down for newly found reviews

tonite's show-
4/5/2005 (Tue.) House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
I: Jam > Jack Straw > Easy to Slip > Bird Song Jam* > Little Red Rooster*, Josephine* > Lucky Enough* > Greatest Story Ever Told* > Last Time*
II: K.C. Moan@3, City Girls@, Me and My Uncle@5 > I Need a Miracle* > Playin in the Band* > He's Gone* > Jam*+ > Wharf Rat* > Jam* > China Cat Sunflower* > I Know You Rider*
E: Johnny B. Goode*
* -w/ Johnny Polansky (ekoostik hookah percussionist); +-w/ Wilbur Krebs (Alphabet Soup bassist) and without Bob and Mark Previous "Josephine" 5/12/2003 [86 shows]; Previous "Last Time" 11/10/2003 [53 shows]
Thanks Gordon Hensley



while poking round I found this (deadnet)- thought it was interesting....

DaveScott - 03:37pm Apr 5, 2005 PDT (#76 of 76)
On May 1st, remember to ring them bells for Tamanend

Just came from the show and it looks like a barnburner in the works for Cleveland. Ohio fave ekoostik hookah member Johnny "Starrcat" Polanksy will be sitting in with the band on percussion and I was able to exchange a few words with him.
 Always good to make acquaintance with a good artist, something he most certainly is. I was lucky enough to secure a place near the entrance to the facility in time to see the entire band arrive for soundcheck. They'd originally been perched near the Ritz-Carlton near where an evacuation practice took place this afternoon, sending scores of office workers to the street, but they moved their busses to the venue late this afternoon. Weir arrived bespectacled and looking spry as a fox, eagerly signing an onlooker's vinyl copy of Heaven Help The Fool. As I was leaving, fans of the Ratdog were lining the street to the HOB wearing their Spring finery and it did this old head good to see the summer stock of Deadland out and flowing in the cool breeze on this warm afternoon. I ran into my old college roommate and two mutual friends from Columbus, they having just come from purchasing tuxedos to the former's upcoming July wedding. It was really good to see them again, my having been subjected to an isolation from most deadhead circles for some time due to abject seclusion on my part. They asked if I'd like to join them for a pre-show meal and then the show, but my beer wallet cannot currently enjoy such a vintaged experience. It was a very nice offer though and I appreciated it.
It's a sad day when this poster cannot afford seeing the family 'dog in the town in which he lives, but perhaps that time comes to all men.
I was earlier today given the opportunity to hang with two of the bus drivers for an hour or so, one of whom was given charge of the crew bus. That bus in particular belongs to Aerosmith's Joe Perry, who uses the coach to haul his wife and children from town to town. Therefore he is very careful to only allow more mature artists to use it. The driver of that bus was pitching a sleeping bag/comforter into the dumpster because of its wear, but it looked brand new to me, so I intercepted the dumpster toss. Heck, I might need it someday.
Dennis McNally is joining the Ratdog on this portion of the journey and I was eager to congratulate him on his book as he was delivering ice to the busses. He seems a very intelligent individual by the way he carries himself.
Anyhow, perhaps my tenure as DNC fixture has passed, as only those able to hear the bands at their leisure should spend so much time on these groups (methinks at least)...I hope all that attend tonight's festivities enjoy themselves....Spring has seemingly sprung on Lake Erie and Ratdog has come to town to usher in the Sun....

;-)
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Another interesting slice of show can be found on this Blog
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Okay, I give you one more detailed review- yum! From the TOOBoard;



Ratdog 4/4/05 (Review)
Posted by: bcraig (198.190.212.---)
Date: April 5, 2005 10:30AM

Going into the show,I was skeptical given February's tribulations. As he walked out, he looked good. Not much different than the last couple years and better than the summer.

Off to the music...I was hoping for a Jack Straw opener, but the band starts off into a funky jam that can only be Stranger, Shakedown or Easy Answers, the latter becoming more and more obvious. Robin's bass was way up and it sounded funky. You never hope to hear, it but the song took off in a good direction with the deep groove and Bobby sounded good. Voice was crisp, if not aging at least a little. The sold-out crowd responded well to the song, after all this is a RatDog show, not a Dead show. Karan took some good solos, but Brooks and Chimenti, I feel, is what makes this band special, and the groupmind approach of the band versus a featured soloist, is another unique aspect that begin rearing its head. There ain't no easy answers, that's what I'm trying to say...

It's All Over Now Baby Blue...for the Dylan slot, this tickled my fancy, very Queen Jane-ish in the opening, but coming off the Easy jam which was very thick, it was a nice contrast. Bobby's voice sounded good, I believe we got the first flub here, but it did not affect the flow...sax solo was great and Karan took a good a good one. Very nice rendition of the song...waiting still for the show to take off a bit...

Lost Sailor>Saint...ooh I like this one. On of my favorite compositions, you felt the lostness Bobby could have felt belting out the chorus and I believe he repeated the beginning of a verse and then caught the band off guard coming in the bridge a couple measures too soon. But hey, if you are a Bobby fan, the lyrics have always been a labor of love. His voice was very strong and then the crowd started thumping a little, the drums started rolling and Saint hit us. Not as much as I would have liked it, but it got the show rolling faster at least.

Friend of the Devil...a pleasant surprise, and the crowd always seems to like this one more than me, but this is my first exposure to RD's slow version. While I was always opposed to the Grateful Dead's slow version, I think it stems from taking out of context, if I were at a show back then,I think I would have a different appreciation for it. Anyhoo, I enjoyed it to my surprise, I didn't expect it. The slow jams and even a Bobby solo, in a way only Bobby can solo or should I say "solo"...built up to a nice "Got two reasons why I cry..." First hint at Jerry on the night...

Odessa...It's hard not to like this little rocker about a big-legged, loud mouth broad, well maybe that's harsh, but it was upbeat, the crowd began rocking more, what room there was to rock and the vocals were still enduring. This was one of the better versions I have heard of this song. Give her the world, she wouldn't take it on a bet...

A little jam ensured out of Odessa, very bluesy and a little sloppy, then the groove hit, "Woke up this morning..." Nice. Haven't heard this in 8 or 9 years and it was a good, rollicking version. With a nice solo by Jeff and Kenny and then Bobby took another one and Karan accompanied. Bobby's vocals were especially raucous on this little blues number and still enduring. I do think Jeff C's organ is WAY underused and was hoping for a blistering solo on that beast. Bobby was very active on stage, backing up, occasional smirks. He looked good, really. He's aging of course...then I went off on a mental tangent thinking of mortality (I was sober if that sets the stage), I am 26 and thinking about my father who is roughly Bobby's age, and every time I see Dad, I think of him getting older and such...that's aging, there's no lines to read in between, it's life and Bobby is no different, he is not a 30 year old young buck playing the guitar and belting out the lyrics, I don't think he gets enough credit there...then I zone in to the slow jam coming out...

Loser..."If I had a gun..." A nice melodramatic moment in the show. I noticed during this song something that has been brought up about Bobby's phrasing of lyrics, in part because the three guys behind me were singing 1977 versions of the song and Bobby was singing RD's 2005 version. This is not the Dead, Bobby is not Jerry, this is a different take. Bobby has a different approach to singing it. That aside, Jeff finally grinded the organ in what sounded like a madrigal solo. Karan stepped up and threw one out there and then a jam ensued and I thought we were headed for a Truckin'...I was wrong...I did notice though that by this point the band had been on stage for close to 90 minutes and knew this meant a short second set...after that passed it became apparent Bobby's take on Foolish Heart was coming with Jeff's keys pinging the signature rift.

Again the phrasing was different and on two occasions, Bobby's eyes fumbled around the teleprompter for the words, he hit it, but a little late. All in all, it was a joy to hear this song and it built up to a jam that was probably the highlight of the set. His voice was still strong, Karan and Kenny hit solos here and it rounded out a very nice and long set from Bobby.

Short set break, and I called the Victim. I like the whole band being onstage following set break and I love this freaking song. Is there anybody there who needs to know...of course I do, we do. This song rocked and I knew this set would hit a stride the first set never got to. There was a theme in the first set, but it never took off...and in the weirdness that we have come to love as the Victim jam, I knew this was going to be good.

The Weight...holy crap, never saw that coming. Not a whole lot of room to explore musically, but Bobby nailed to lyrics which shocked and amazed me, it's not a terribly difficult task, but more the labor of love thing. The chorus is slightly rearranged and it works as does the ending. The vocals here were awesome and in the final verse, Bobby alters his voice to a soft scratch one, no doubt honoring someone, smiles from the band and the crowd was just treated to a great version of an overly covered song in my opinion, but that was one of the gems of this show.

Then a bouncy jam and it could only be one song...Mississippi Half Step, Bobby has put the Toodeloo back in this song. Karan was somewhat absent here until the coda, but Kenny got it pumping and of course Jeff followed through. The crowd got into this and second verse comes up, and you knew it had to be, most of the flubs have gone unnoticed until now and Bobby in his scared look at the mic and he has absolutely no clue what the words are, luckily the crowd does and without out a whim and 2 lines latter, it comes back to him. The crowd erupted, Bobby smiled and that warm feeling came over you. Bobby, Bobby, Bobby...the chorus treatment to this song is also very nice then as we crossed the Rio Grande-O, we headed into another dark jam, I knew where it was heading, didn't know how it would get there, but it did and...

The Wheel...a nice version. It is nice for this song to being returned to its energizing status, after hearing other versions of this in different Dead outfits, it lost all of its steam and this kept the crowd roaring through. Up to this point, this set has been achieving some nice stature. The reggae breakdown came and then another strange jam ensued, Jay was keeping a nice beat, then started the rhythm that can only be one song...

The Other One...oh yeah. Hit me with it, the jam leading up to the first verse was nice and full of energy, the verse and chorus came and then the jam began to fade and lose some of the momentum, feeling my emotions were being toyed with I tried to stay with it and I am glad I did, the second verse came, "It was cowboy Neil at the wheel, the bus to..." and the outro jam was heated and then Bobby left to go smoke a cigarette, stage left.

Jam...this jam has always entertained me and shows you these guys are no hacks. It amazes me that people around here can say that these guys are mediocre or bad at worst. Whatever. They continued the other one groove along with some Bitches Brew-esque hints...Bobby comes back and it slows and slows and slows...

Black Peter...I was hoping to hear his version. I was prepared for the worst. While Karan could have hopped all over this, he was somewhat restrained as he has been since the opener. I mean he was decent all night, just not great. He needs to take it by the reins, but anyway, Bobby absolutely nailed this song vocal and lyric wise. The energy in the crowd was awesome, people's arms were raised, smiles and a few tears I imagined at least were around. This was the highlight of my night. "and my friends they come around..."

I knew we were coming close to an end and I didn't like that fact, especially since it was so nice to see Bobby and this was the only show I was hitting. Sounded early like a Throwing Stones, but we all know it's a tease and Two Djinn came out. Second set was stellar up til now, to me. Some other closer would have kept it that way. That being said...this song is good and was performed very well, the jams in the middle sound like a distorted slipknot! and 'our strange heroes' have gotten us this far and Bobby gave his nod and the band was off.

Touch of Grey...people can say what they want about this song, but you can't blame the song, blame the people. This is a good song and this was one of the better, more upbeat versions I have heard Bobby do and his voice phrasing was even on point for this popular number. It's an anthem, it's our anthem and that's our Bobby.

All that being said, it is priceless to see Bobby seemingly happy and healthy. Natasha is joining him this tour as she made her rounds to the folk. After seeing Panic the other night, it was refreshing to see 'respect' back in the crowd and a common bond. But mostly it was nice to see Bobby singing some songs and playing some guitar with some buddies. I will take that over any band out there.

Bobberoo!

I will admit to having been given a teeny heads up on this one- Got Scott all excited-visions of RV vehicles swirling through his head but if I'm not gonna have him behind the wheel of an English car-YOU know I'd never willingly ride shotgun in one of those things through such a gigantic Hippy clusterfu*k as Manchester Tenn.
Apparently, its a camping thing-just not enough Bobness in it to get me to set up a tent in the mud. I'm not a wuss or even high maintence, I camped for 4 months straight (okay, so it was across Europe & I was 18) and at the end of the those months decided I met the quota and would never have to camp again...If it were 2-3 nights of Bobness, I could bend that rule, I spose...
Anyhow-Here's the blurb from DotOrg-
RatDog at the Roo!!!!
RatDog will play Bonnaroo, which will be held outside Manchester, Tennessee, June 10-13. More info to come as it's available. [Posted April 5, 2005 4:08 PM ET]
Then there's this from the Bobberoo folks-
ARTIST ADDITIONS ROUND 5


We are pleased to announce the following additions to the Bonnaroo 2005 lineup:

Bob Weir and RatDog
Signal Path
Heartless Bastards
Josh Ritter

Tickets for the 2005 Bonnaroo Music and Arts festival are on sale now through Bonnaroo.com.

Complete festival information is also available at Bonnaroo.com, which will be continually updated.


ABOUT THESE ADDITIONS


Bob Weir and RatDog

There may never have been a band that has evolved more dramatically than RatDog. It began as a laid-back blues ensemble in 1996, but now in 2005 it has become a snarling rock band that has a fabulous jazz trio at its heart. Of course, all those forms are simply different facets of Bob Weir's unruly musical personality. RatDog's music represents Weir's complete repertoire, from blues like "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" and "Little Red Rooster" to the psychedelic stylings of his Grateful Dead classics like "Playin' in the Band," "The Other One," and "Throwing Stones," to his own Dead rockers like "Cassidy," "One More Saturday Night," and "Sugar Magnolia," to some of his solo material, like "Josephine" and "Bombs Away."

Signal Path

Coming from all over the country, the members of Signal Path have tapped into a fresh, new and unexplored genre of music that explores drum n' bass, house, trance, down tempo, and rare groove while keeping its traditional roots in jazz, funk and natural rhythm. Signal Path is defining "Livetronica" and has seen mass exposure with appearances at many festivals such as High Sierra Music Festival, Great Southern Music Harvest, Summer Camp, 10,000 Lakes Music Fest, Joshua Tree Festival and Wakarusa Festival.

Heartless Bastards

Erika Wennerstrom and her older brother were raised by a single mom. She began singing as a young child, and by the age of nine, she started learning piano in order to write her own songs. At 22, Erika moved to Cincinnati and met Mike Lamping, who works at his family's janitorial supply company. They hooked up and began playing out as Heartless Bastards. Soon they brought in Kevin Vaughn on drums, a pizza deliveryman who's been wrestling out of a car finance program for so long that he's paid the sticker price several times over on a car long since wrecked. That's their story - nothing fancy, but everything real.

Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter spent most of 2002 splitting his time between the US and Ireland, sharing bills with such eclectic artists as Beth Orton, Liz Phair, Damien Rice, and Joan Baez, as well as a celebrated appearance at the 2002 Newport Folk Festival. In the process, he garnered impressive acclaim not only for his debut album Golden Age of Radio but also for his richly textured and intimately engaging live shows. Publications like The Village Voice, The Washington Post, and The Irish Times scrambled to describe what made Josh's music so "stunning". Sold-out shows in New York, Boston, and Dublin, as well as a trip to the Sundance Film Festival kicked off 2003 in style. This spring, Josh will enter the studio with producer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine) to create the follow up with Hello Starling. To be recorded at Bear Creek studios and at Deck's own Engine Studios in Chicago, the album is scheduled for a late 2005 release.


TRAVEL PACKAGES


We are dedicated to providing the best travel options for you to attend Bonnaroo. Our travel partners offer a variety of packages at reasonable prices.


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Off to get more paint for that mumzer of a project...
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Not currently expecting to attend the Seva thing- depends on the Weir factors...In any case- Here's a link to a story on someone who WILL be there- Corinne West

woof!

First Set:
One of those collaborative efforts in effect, Chez and Others from the TOOBoard called this in....
I have been really really really really really been craving a Walkin Blues for a long time...That Victim, The Weight,one of my most favorites Lost Sailor and also right up high on my faves list is TOO (Spanish Lady!) all got played..I am already sure I'll need to order this show..
Damn! Walkin Blues!
Jam>
Easy Answers>
Baby Blue
Lost Sailor>
Saint of Circumstance>
FOTD>
Odessa
Walkin' Blues>
Loser>
Foolish Heart

Second Set:

Victim Or The Crime- Acoustic>
The Weight-Acoustic>
Mississippi Half Step>
The Wheel>
The Other One>
Jam>
Black Peter>
Two Djinn

E: Touch Of Grey

Might As Well was the original encore according to the setlist taped to the stage floor.

Bobby played Telecaster through FOTD then changed to Blue Modulus for rest of 1st set
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Butterflies & Rainbow Bears

Ow, Had to get up early and resume the school year...I love my job-it's the having to be there by 8:30 am that kills me.Though I love my coteacher, she's making me crazier everyday-and it's not like I'm all that far from the edge as you have plainly witnessed here. At whatever rate, I was happy to see the kinder.
I dont know how it works-either the butterflies are perhaps(?)coming from or going to San Bruno Mountain and suddenly they are everywhere! Not like locusts but fluttering around by the dozen...I like butterflies and will be raising some next month with my Bears, but still, not fond of having any flying creature buzz around me..And okay, REALLY there are a noticable amount of em (I have NOT yet slipped off that edge) Scott & Sash noticed them yesterday while they went on a bike ride.
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In other non Bobby news, I'm making progress on the vanity, I'll be done on Wednesday with it.
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Well tonight's setlist is rolling in and I wanna check that out..
Before I forget AGAIN, there was a Ratdog TV sighting a week ago- Thought I had posted bout it but see I mustve forgotten...About 2 minutes of Ratdog at The Fillmore on a Travel Channel program called "The Once & Future City: San Francisco" It was put together in 2004 and showed our guys on stage and Ratsog fans in line- I recognized one or two usual suspects there...Mustve been the time I went across the street for a facial (Great Spas across Geary in Japantown) A massage/facial is required from here on out (Ask Vera!) whenever there's a two day Dog show line duty in the Fillmore..Just gots to hook up with a line buddy to hold spaces with.
For more info on this program- go check on The Travel Channel!
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Very unhappy to find over 200 mostly scroll by posts in the Weir discussion today but my ratdogirlscoutsistah, The bq, posted these:
the bq - 08:48am Apr 4, 2005 PDT (#14414 of 14578)
Yes, it sure has been a long, hard climb.

So, in the early morning hours of Sunday I find myself watching dawn break from my car(where I've been for, oh, 2 hours) in the parking lot of my hotel, because there's a fire at the hotel...& I find myself thinking...is there anything left for me to do in my quest to see Bobby?
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the bq - 09:09am Apr 4, 2005 PDT (#14448 of 14578)
Yes, it sure has been a long, hard climb.

Quick thoughts from 3 shows:

Bobby looks absolutely terrific; happy, healthy, in incredible playing & singing form.

The show at the Vic was, imo, everything live music should be, all at different times...fun, danceable, moving, poignant & other adjectives I can't think of right now 'cause I'm tuckered out. The Bombs Away/Deep Elem/ Masterpiece with Bobby on acoustic made my heart sing. Thanks, doggies!

Thanks to my favorite trash-talkin', cynical, pirate of a musician for taking it to the road & playin' in the band yet again...
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That last line is attributed to Trixie Garcia's comments in this week's Rolling Stone magazine- It's got a feature on Rock musician's Children and it appears they found MS Garcia..
Havent read the article myself yet but I believe it's online? Sorry for not looking for it- but am about to lunge at my dinner!
"Bone" Appetite!

Fool for Love

photo by Dave Rosenberg
April 1, 2005

First Appeared in The Music Box, April 2005, Volume 12, #4

Written by John Metzger




The past few years have held their share of challenges for Bob Weir and his band Ratdog. While the ensemble has weathered several personnel changes since its debut in 1995, none have held the potential for causing such critical structural damage to the collective’s foundation as the departure of Weir’s longtime collaborator, friend, and bass player Rob Wasserman, who announced in early 2003 that he was leaving the group in order resume his solo career. Then, just as newcomer Robin Sylvester was beginning to become firmly entrenched within Ratdog’s heady swirl of disparate sounds, Weir succumbed to exhaustion in late 2004, forcing the collective to cancel its ambitiously extensive fall tour just moments before it was about to begin. With the change of seasons and the dawning of Spring, however, comes new hope, and on April Fool’s Day, the rejuvenated ensemble settled into Chicago’s Vic Theatre for what would prove to be an evening that playfully featured a variety of ruminations on love and loss. From the celebratory medley of The Champs’ Tequila, Bob Dylan’s Silvio, and James Crawford, Jr.’s Iko Iko that opened the show to the solitary stroll through Black Muddy River that concluded it, Ratdog managed to weave together two sets of material, none of which ever strayed from its single-minded, thematic purpose. The raucous carousing of Hell in a Bucket, the bittersweet memories of This Time Forever, the cautionary Deep Elem Blues, and the bubbly amorousness of Bombs Away perceptively explored relationships from every angle imaginable.

photo by Norman Sands
Not that one needed to comprehend the concert’s cerebral overtones in order to enjoy it. Indeed, being the quintessential collective, Ratdog delivered a performance that also was perfectly suited for the hard-partying, Friday night crowd. Fusing feel-good rhythms with mind-expanding jams, the ensemble effortlessly surfed from one genre to the next, leading the audience through a sing-along of Dylan’s folk-fueled Masterpiece and delving into both the soulful blues of Sugaree as well as the percolating ebullience of Scarlet Begonias. With each song, the group seemed to re-calibrate itself, and although it sometimes stumbled — the segue that was meant to link the biting edginess of Bury Me Standing with the soft-spoken balladry of This Time Forever nearly collapsed — more often than not, the band discovered a path that permitted a seamless passage into its next selectio. It was everything she said it was

Crazy!

Presently- Jammin John on Ratdog.org is listening to this evening's Ratdog show (Michegon tonight?) So he's posting in real time..Looking like another quirky setlist..Damn!
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Here's another of Novy's photos from last night-

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Found the following article on the NORML conference..
SAN FRANCISCO
Pot smokers unite in 'hemp-friendly city'

Elvy Musikka lives in a pot-smoker's dream: She's one of seven people in the United States who receive pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes each month from the federal government as part of a drug study.

No wonder she was smiling Thursday, hobnobbing at the Cathedral Hill Hotel in San Francisco with hundreds of others who share her quest to legalize the leaf.

Through Saturday, the hotel is the place to be for marijuana enthusiasts, as the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws holds its annual conference in what the organization's Web site calls "America's most hemp- friendly city."

The scent was pungent, the dress casual to hippie and the faces friendly Thursday outside the conference rooms, where tables offered novelties such as Oaksterdam sweatshirts for $27, $5 hemp-shaped lapel pins and, of course, matches and cigarette lighters.

Richard Lee, who runs the SR71 medicinal marijuana dispensary in Oakland, was selling the Oaksterdam gear. "SR71 was the first stealth plane and, until recently, the highest flying plane," he said. "Mine is the highest flying coffee shop."

Lee's is one of just four medicinal marijuana dispensaries in Oakland, where officials decided last year to weed out the city's share of medicinal pot clubs.

Meanwhile, at least 37 pot shops call San Francisco home, and the Board of Supervisors this week voted to ban any new ones until it devises a way to regulate the existing dispensaries. Under Proposition 215, passed by voters in 1996, it's legal to use medicinal marijuana with the recommendation of a doctor in California.

Federal law enforcement officials, however, think differently, as they are duty-bound to enforce U.S. anti-drug laws that contain no such exemption for cannabis. Among the attendees at the NORML conference were Angel Raich of Oakland and Diane Monson of Oroville (Butte County), who sued the Justice Department following government drug raids of medicinal marijuana co-ops. The U.S. Supreme Court is poised to issue what is expected to be a precedent- setting ruling any day now in the case that should settle the federal and state law conflict.

Allen St. Pierre, executive director of NORML, said it was exciting to land in town at a time when medical marijuana is on the political agenda.

Referring to Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who started his day Thursday officially welcoming NORML to San Francisco, St. Pierre said: "When someone like Ross sticks his hand out and says, 'We want to work with you. We want to do things differently' -- we have arrived."

"I gave them a hearty welcome on behalf of the city that helped birth the medicinal marijuana movement," said Mirkarimi, who introduced the ban passed Tuesday on new pot clubs in San Francisco.

His comments drew a standing ovation. Afterward, he said, "I was being offered various baked goods; I received a couple of T-shirts and hats made out of hemp -- I declined the baked goods, by the way. It was very surreal."

Sixty-five-year-old Musikka, who was born with congenital cataracts and uses her federally supplied marijuana to help relieve pressure in her eyes, said she had tried the drug 25 years ago at the urging of a doctor even though she was afraid of its effects.

Now, she said, "It's the fountain of youth. There isn't even an aspirin in my medicine cabinet. There is no need. I smoke it, eat it -- I'll use it topically as well if I hit a doorknob or something and think I'll get a bruise. "

And she wants to spread the word.

"To arrest an adult for choosing the 'wiser bud' is the epitome of hypocrisy," she said. "To arrest a patient for using the Creator's work is blasphemy."

Fortunately for the NORML attendees, there weren't any arrests Thursday.

Lee, of SR71, and his companions who took a break to light up outside the hotel were just part of the landscape of the joint.
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