The Palladium in Worcester is a really underrated venue, and I certainly have seen some great shows here. The Ratdog show was no exception; what a fantastic night! The crowd was loving it, and Bobby was loving the crowd loving it (wait till you here the sing-alongs from this show, unbelievable). For me, the second set was the highlight of the evening. Opening acoustic with K.C. Moan and the Masterpiece was just that. New Speedway Boogie went dub-style with some crazy jams and a great crowd interaction. A smoking China Cat>Know You Rider (even though Bobby stumbled on the words in China Cat). Ripple as a closer was the perfect way to end such a magical night. I hope to see everyone again real soon.... Keep the vibe alive people.
Stuart, Worcester, MA
Simply Electric Show. Crowd was awesome, band was better. A flashback to "the good olde days!"
Brendan Droney, Wethersfield, MA
The rains cleared out of Worcester long before show time, so we were fortunate to get a dry, yet chilly evening for RatDog’s appearance at the Palladium. Worcester is certainly not the most scenic city in Massachusetts, and the Palladium is a generic cavern with merely passable acoustics.
The Jam started at 8:15 and morphed into "Feel Like a Stranger." The audience was excited for Stranger, and it was a decent, but not great rendition. The band was plagued with some feedback issues throughout the show, not enough to ruin the performance, but the squeals and squeaks persisted for most of the night. "She Belongs to Me" was a nice, relaxed version, and it seemed to transition the band into a nice groove. What followed next was a truly transcendent "Minglewood." We’ve all heard so many versions of Minglewood over the years, but the band really nailed this one. It just shook the house, filled the room with energy, and demonstrated what a powerful song it is. Another highlight followed with a beautiful "Mission in the Rain." It was so warm, so majestic, and a demonstration of just how fully Bob can embrace and perform an iconic Jerry song. A nice "Sailor-Saint" followed, which was enjoyable but not spectacular. The short (or at least it felt short) first set ended with "Althea," which, frankly, was a little bit of a let down.
After the break, we were treated to a great jam-filled acoustic set. "K.C. Moan" was just right, "Me & My Uncle" was great fun, and "Masterpiece" was excellent. A really solid start to the second set. We were then treated to a sing-along "New Speedway Boogie," which got the whole crowd smiling. "Even So – October Queen – Deep End" was okay. October Queen wasn’t quite punchy enough for my tastes. Things got back on track after a jam segued into "The Wheel," a nice, tight version that opened up into a sweet jam before the last stanza. The jams into "Space" were okay, but the transitions seemed a little rough at times. All was forgiven, however, when we heard the opening of "Black Peter." And what a "Black Peter" it was. An all-out rock tune, it was miles away from its acoustic country origins. The set could have ended after Black Peter, but they surprised with a "China-Rider" to end. It was a very strong "China Cat" and a good "I Know You Rider," and a nice way to end the show.
But we still had the encore left, and we knew that we were in for a treat when we saw the acoustics out again. The "Ripple" did not disappoint, and we all headed for the lot with a warm feeling.
It may not have been the greatest complete show ever, but it featured so many highlights with truly historic versions of "Minglewood," "Mission," and "Black Peter." Let's just hope that they return to the Orpheum in Boston instead of the Palladium for the Fall tour.
Cody Pomeray, Swampscott, MA
