Frequently Asked Questions... and Their Answers
New to the scene? Returning to the scene after a lengthy absence? Hopefully this page will answer some questions you have and help familiarize you with "The Dog."
Personnel
Who is RatDog?
RatDog is made up of Bob Weir, bassist Rob Wasserman (Lou Reed), drummer Jay Lane (Primus, Alphabet Soup, Charlie Hunter), keyboardist Jeff Chimenti (Furthur, The Dead, Alphabet Soup), bassist Robin Sylvester (Dana Gillespie, Ry Cooder, Missing Man Formation), and Steve Kimock (Zero, Heart of Gold Band).
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Do the band members emulate the guys from The Dead? Like does Steve copy Jerry?
Nope! Each band member brings his own style to the band. The guys grew up playing jazz, blues, rock, and an assortment of other styles. None of the band members was a Deadhead prior to hooking up with Bob.
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Do the band members besides Bob sing?
Most members of the band sing backups, but Bob sings lead on every song RatDog plays.
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Jeff's keyboard looks an awful lot like Brent Mydland's Hammond. Is it?
Yes. Along with a baby grand piano and other keyboards, Jeff plays Brent's Hammond.
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The Music
What kind of music does RatDog play?
Much of RatDog's songbook consists of Grateful Dead originals—in 2009, RatDog's most recent heavy touring year, 80 of the 162 different tunes played were Dead originals—but the band plays plenty of originals, Weir solo tunes, Dylan and Beatles covers, and more.
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Does RatDog play tunes exactly the way the Dead played them?
Nope. For the most part no wholesale changes have been made, but a band made up of different musicians will naturally interpret and explore things a little differently.
Who writes RatDog's original tunes? Are there many?
RatDog has twelve original tunes, most of which are still in regular rotation. Each song was written by the band collectively, and lyrics have been written by John Barlow, Robert Hunter, and Gerrit Graham. Eight of the originals appeared on 2000's Evening Moods, RatDog's only studio album. Three newer originals—Tuesday Blues (RatDog/Hunter), Jus' Like Mama Said (RatDog/Graham), and Money for Gasoline (RatDog/Graham)—were introduced in 2006.
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Does RatDog play Jerry tunes?
Yes, RatDog plays a whole bunch of them sung by Bobby. As he says, "Those Garcia/Hunter pieces are good tunes and made to be sung. Any singer would want to sing those tunes. Remember, I was there when all those songs were born. I had a lot to do with how they came into the world. Until I had my own family, they were like my own children. Do you think I'm going to turn my back on them just because Jerry checked out?"
Does Bob still do his 'hahs!' and all those other Bobby things he used to do?
Yep, Bobby's still Bobby—and years more experienced than the last time you saw him. He's mastered it all and serves the music as incredibly as ever.
How can I get my hands on some RatDog shows?
A few ways. 1) You can buy soundboard copies of RatDog's shows via RatDog Live, an offering that also lets you buy a copy of the show at the venue merchandise booth 15 minutes after it ends. 2) You can download shows for free from etree and Archive.org. 3) You can trade with folks same as always.
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Being There
What's with all the shows in the northeast? It seems like that's where they spend most of their time.
RatDog's fanbase is undoubtedly concentrated in the northeast, with the Philadelphia area being the epicenter. RatDog often spends a couple weeks on a tour playing shows there with sellout or near-sellout crowds at each venue. RatDog draws well nationally and although all the band members live in the San Francisco Bay area, the northeast is RatDog's "bread and butter."
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What kind of crowd will I encounter?
RatDog shows draw fans of all ages. You'll find a large number of teens and twentysomethings and plenty of fiftysomethings and sixtysomethings. And thirtysomethings and fortysomethings. Aside from that, the type of crowd will vary based on geography.
How are the shows structured?
RatDog typically plays two-set shows, each about 90 minutes long, with an encore. There are often a few acoustic tunes, and halfway through the second set comes "Stuff," which is basically a free-form jam among any combination of band members.
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Does RatDog allow taping?
RatDog's taping policy is identical to The Dead's—audience taping is allowed and encouraged.
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Can I bring my camera?
Yes, RatDog allows photography except when venue policy precludes it (like at House of Blues). Any camera is fine; just don't use the flash!
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