12/17/2005 Setlist, Photos, and Reviews

I saw my first dead show at 15 yo, 1979 MSG with Keith and Donna. Happy to report that the magic is still alive and well. Fantastic show! The set list was amazing, the band sounds incredible, and the crowd was a blast... excellent venue....

It was really cool to hear the Golden Road walking into the show. Hard Rain was mind blowing with a heavy psychedelic rythym. Basically,
the entire show kicked ass. The harp/mandolin player was a great touch as well. Thanks so much Mr Weir for staying out on the road and delivering the goods all these years. It always feels like coming home amongst the music and family.

Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile...

This was my first Dog show since their last Seattle visit nearly two years ago. The show just absolutely blew me away! I was fortunate enough to have a front row spot, which made the evening that much better. I had heard that Ratdog was enjoying a very successful and revamped tour and I couldn't agree more. They seemed very loose and comfortable with each other, and the song selection was outstanding!
Rockin Robin Sylvester is outstanding on bass. I can't find fault with any of the band, they were OUTSTANDING! I haven't had a chance to listen to the CD yet, but am greatly anticipating it. Two different cameras were used to film this performance. Is a DVD in the works? Thanks Ratdog for making my whole week. Hope to see you again soon!

End of the tour and the best for last.... The Golden Road opener got the crowd jumpin', and by the time Dark Star hit, everyone knew it was going to be a fun night. The Bertha to close out the first set had everyone shaking the floorboards. After a gentle opening for the second set (nice KC Moan), the crowd went nuts over FOTD.... The biggest treat was the sweet Scarlet (maybe one of the longest SBs I've seen) that eventualy made it back to Dark Star/Cassidy, bookending the first set nicely... and of course it WAS Saturday night. Ripple encore, what more could you ask for. And thank you RD for a real good time.

What a great show to take someone who has never seen the Dead or any of its members live! My girlfriend had such a good time that it won't be hard to get her to go the next time Ratdog is in the Northwest. This was the second time Ratdog was in Seattle since I moved to Washington from Syracuse, where I was able to see Ratdog much more due to the frequency of close tour dates. The last show (March 2004) was a solid show but nothing to write home about. However, this was a GREAT show, especially for a beginner. It had a perfect amount of very familiar songs (Unlimited Devotion, Cassidy, Scarlet, Bertha, Saturday Night, Ripple, FOTD), CLASSICS (Rooster, Lazy River, Althea) and their own stuff (Odessa/KC Moan). But it was Bob singing other artists' songs that steals the show for me. Blackbird is a great second set opener, and Ratdog seems to always revive a Dylan song that I have seemed to have lost in the fog of time. Last time it was in Scranton 3/02; read my review. This time it was Hard Rain, and it was smoking. As was the rest of the show (except "stuff": cut the long, uninspired clanging of musical instruments).

All in all, great show for my girlfriend and me. Security light and almost friendly. And most importantly: please Bob, if you can hear this, come back more often. But if you only make it every year and a half, keep playing shows like this one. Everyone else, buy the CD. Well worth the time and money.