Bob Weir Tour
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Frequently Asked Questions
What songs will Bob Weir play in concert?
Bob Weir & Ratdog is not like a traditional band. They only possess a single album of original studio material to their name. Due to members coming from a number of high profile bands, setlists usually incorporate many cover songs, though some people barely call them cover songs at all. Bob Weir is one of the main members of the Grateful Dead, giving Grateful Dead songs played by Ratdog a special connection and elevating them slightly above a cover.
With that said, Ratdog shows are slathered in songs from the classic 60’s and 70’s psychedelic group, including one of their most famous, “Truckin.” This often appears towards the end of the set, and remains a notable fan favorite. The band also reaches into material penned by the late Jerry Garcia, which includes “Bird Song” and “Loser,” among a few others having a less consistent appearance.
Ratdog brings out the big guns for what could be one of the oddest selection of covers. Bob Dylan is clearly a close friend of the band members, and the crew performs the acclaimed artist’s own “Maggie’s Farm,” “All Along the Watchtower,” and “Desolation Row” in a number of their sets. The group relies heavily on Bob Dylan songs, which can be odd considering the length the Dylan tracks sprawl to, at close to ten minutes each. In some sets this accounts for about thirty minutes of just Bob Dylan material–an interesting choice, to say the least.
The group just scratches the surface of Ratdog’s only studio album, Evening Moods. They perform “Two Djinn” for the majority of sets, and complement it with the opening track, “Bury Me Standing.”
The setlist seems short, but most of the songs are over 8 minutes in their studio form–even longer live. Here is a loose setlist you might hear on the Bob Weir 2014 Tour.
Jack Straw
All Along the Watchtower
Wrong Way Feelin’
Maggie’s Farm
Mama Tried
Loser
Two Djinn
Desolation Row
On the Road Again
Deep Elem Blues
Truckin’
Bird Song
Iko Iko
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad
Touch of Grey
How long is a Bob Weir and Rat Dog Concert?
Grateful Dead shows were jamfests that left their watches behind, and Bob Weir seems to subscribe to that philosophy. The band often sets up an intermission in the middle of the set. Shows can easily run for almost two hours. The group commits to a lot of on the spot improvisation, which keeps sets very dynamic. They also visit venues lacking a curfew for this reason. Though this is a far cry from classic Grateful Dead shows spanning five hours or more, you can expect to see a full three hour set including intermission.
What is the current line-up of this diverse band?
Ratdog has always had a rotating door of members coming in from an eccentric quantity of different bands. Some have played in Grateful Dead spin-off bands for years, which follows in the theme of the massive assortment of Dead members. The reunion tour for 2014 consists of the line-up of Bob Weir, Jay Lane, Steve Kimock, Rob Wasserman, Robin Sylvester, and Jeff Chimenti. Kimock is the newest addition after having been out of the band since 2008. Wasserman has always returned following his 2002 departure.
Who is Bob Weir’s publicist and press contact?
Dennis McNally is the current touring publicist for Bob Weir & Ratdog. He can be connected with through his LinkedIn account. He is the longtime publicist for the Grateful Dead as well as the band’s biographer.
How do I get access to presale tickets for Bob Weir’s and Rat Dog’s tour?
Presale tickets are hard to come by for upcoming Ratdog shows, because they are not offered.
Concert Reviews
“Many concert tours this summer are featuring creative pairings of popular artists. Thus, the double bill of Ratdog, led by the legendary rhythm guitarist Bob Weir, and improvisational masters String Cheese Incident (SCI) was a dream ticket. Since its inception, Ratdog has evolved and the current six man line-up is loose yet tight.” – SoundPress
“A RatDog performance is a lot like a Grateful Dead performance, with good reason. First is because RatDog is the best by far of the jam bands performing today, and is undoubtedly the best at performing the Dead’s songs. ‘Course, you’re entitled to a different opinion on that, even though you’d be wrong.” – Lou Novemberchek of BlogCritics
Tour Archive
(hiatus from 2009 to 2014)
Bob Weir & Ratdog 2009
Tour Opening Acts: Jackie Greene, Les Claypool, Al Schnier, Chris Robinson
Started July 5, 2009 in Columbus, Ohio | Ended October 24, 2009 in New York City, New York
Bob Weir & Ratdog 2008
Tour Opening Acts: Warren Hayes, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi
Started March 21, 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota | Ended December 31, 2008 in San Francisco, California
Bob Weir & Ratdog 2007
Tour Opening Acts: Warren Hayes, Radioactive, Sammy Hagar
Started February 9, 2007 in San Diego, California | Ended December 15, 2007 in San Francisco, California
Ratdog 2006
Tour Opening Acts: Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Momma Gravy, The Les Claypool Frog Brigade
Started January 7, 2006 in San Francisco, California | Ended November 10, 2006 in Lowell, Massachusetts
Ratdog and Guests 2005
Tour Opening Acts: NA
Started February 4, 2005 in Anaheim, California | Ended December 17, 2005 in Seattle, Washington