I am not a huge fan of Ratdog, yet I do find 8-9-95 a very moving show. I am sure most of you have heard this concert. I was hoping to post this last week but then got busy and forgot. Let us flashback to 1995. August 9th to be exact. We all heard the news of Jerry passing. Camera crews went to parks to film the gathering of Heads. Well in New Hampshire Bob Weir had a show scheduled with his then new band Ratdog. If he canceled I believe everyone would have understood. He didn't cancel though.
"So our departed friend, if he proved anything to us, he proved that good music can make sad times better. We got out work cut out for us, so lets get this thing started." With those touching words from Bobby Weir the band started right away. This whole set of music is very moving and heartfelt. Wasserman proves to be the perfect foil for Bob in Bombs Away. Then Walkin' Blues sounds excellent. Yet you can feel the missing presence of one Jerome Garcia. The rest of the show is also as heartfelt. Other highlights include Fever>Eternity, Blackbird. Then the meat of the show is one of my favorite moments in Ratdog history (granted I have steered clear of most Ratdog stuff). The Winners>This Time Forever>Shade Of Gray>Heaven Help The Fool>Drums>Bass. The emotion that Bob sings is extremely evident. Especially in This Time Forever and Heaven Help The Fool. There is a Throwing Stones in this set. It isn't bad but once again is missing a guitar that we have all come to love. The line "We are on our own" from Throwing Stones fit the mood and in a weird Bob Weir way expressing his loss of a friend. He also added the line "Papa's Gone" to the "We are on our own" refrain. Bob's vocals are perfect for it though. Even the encore of this concert is moving. "A tribute to Jerry" can be heard from the stage before they play the encore. The encore is an Audience patch. Not the best around, however it does add some life to this SBD for an emotional encore. You can hear people yell "Yeah Jerry!!!" over the music. At the end of Every Little Light Rob says, "Thank you very much Mister Jerry." Now for the tear jerker part of the show. If Little Light didn't do it for you. Knockin' On Heaven's Door. Which is also a first time played for Ratdog. You can actually hear Bob's vocals start to crackle through the song. I am almost positive there was not a dry eye in the building after this. Then at the end of Knockin' is a Grateful Dead Not Fade Away audience chant. As the audience continues to sing the chorus and clap hoping to never leave.
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very touching sentiment but data is questionnable; the show Ratdog performed was in Hampton Beach NH...not Jersey. reading your post i thought how can i be wrong, i had downloaded this show years ago......btw Rstdog has evolved into a tight, diversified, powerful unit;
ReplyDeleteI have been meaning to listen to some newer Ratdog lately. I have been too busy with Grateful Dead,Dead,The Other Ones,Phil, and all those Jerry bands. I do dig the potential in Ratdog though. Thanks for the comment. I will try to do a more recent Ratdog show in the near future.
ReplyDeleteI actually was at the show the night before, 8/8/95 in central park. Ratdog opened that night for The Band. My brother and I were hanging out, enjoying the music. We had just postmarked our mail order for fall tour. Heading home I picked up the most recent issue of Relix with Jerry on the cover and an interview inside where Jerry talks about dying...
ReplyDeleteOh wow Kid! That is pretty creepy.
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