# Ratdog, in the absence of the Dead **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 4, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ratdog-in-the-absence-of-the-dead/440061 "2008-03-04T18:30:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ratdog-in-the-absence-of-the-dead/440061/1 "2008-03-04T18:30:57Z")
Bobby’s touring again this spring with Ratdog. I’m still hoping to score tickets at face value through GDTSTOO to the Tower Theater show near Philly Mar. 30. Jeff Chimenti’s touring again with the band and will, as usual, add even more depth to the Karan/Sylvester engine. I’m _so_ jonesin’ for a show. Anyone else use this Weir band as a substitute fix, since the surviving members of the Grateful Dead no longer tour together? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ratdog-in-the-absence-of-the-dead/440061/2 "2008-03-04T19:27:06Z")
You should definitely go. This is not the Ratdog of the past. He’s playing lots of Jerry songs in every set and his band is pretty good. You won’t believe how much Bobby has aged. It’ll be fun and nostalgic. It’s weird to see how much of the scene is still alive. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ratdog-in-the-absence-of-the-dead/440061/3 "2008-03-04T20:20:36Z")
[QUOTE=hajario] You should definitely go. [/QUOTE] Oh, I’m going. One way or another. Despite the protests of MrsChief. She’d just be happier if I spent only $43.50 on a ticket instead of the $110 I’ve found on a few sites. My point is that Ratdog now fills the gap left in me since Jerry died and there’s no more touring by The Other Ones or The Dead. I grew up with and got used to the 3-4 tours a year the Grateful Dead did – these shows became a part of what makes me, well, _me_. It’s been 13 years and still when the seasons change my internal clock goes off saying “time for a show!” ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ratdog-in-the-absence-of-the-dead/440061/4 "2008-03-04T20:48:36Z")
[QUOTE=ChiefScott] My point is that Ratdog now fills the gap left in me since Jerry died and there’s no more touring by The Other Ones or The Dead. I grew up with and got used to the 3-4 tours a year the Grateful Dead did – these shows became a part of what makes me, well, _me_. [/QUOTE] I usually saw a dozen or more shows a year which is a benefit of living out here. Don’t forget about Phil and Friends if they ever make it out there. Phil’s band is better. They jam more and play more of the really old stuff. Bobby shows are more fun but Phil’s are musically better. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ratdog-in-the-absence-of-the-dead/440061/5 "2008-03-04T21:01:48Z")
I saw them last year opening for the Allman Brothers. The were great, as was the Allman Brothers. In fact I started a thread about it. [Allman Brothers and Warthog were great](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=434003&highlight=RatDog+Allman+WartHog). Sadly the thread died young. Jim