After my last Ratdog show, (September 1, 2005 in Central Park) I vowed never to see Weir and Co. again. Mind you, this comes from a long-time Bobby fan who attended 138 Dead shows. During Jerry’s later years, I felt he often provided a much-needed jolt, even if many Heads found his "rock star antics" a bit cheesy. The 2003 edition of Ratdog that I saw at the Beacon that October showed great promise with a mixture of strong vocals, exploratory arrangements and some nice sax solos. However, by the aforementioned Summerstage show, Bobby was stumbling over lyrics with a voice that often sounded shot. With his "grizzled prospector" beard reaching cartoonish proportions, it seems like he was subsequently assuming some of Jerry’s less desirable traits.
During his set opening for the Allmans last week, Bobby seemed to have adjusted to some of the limits imposed on him by age. While it looked as if he has accepted his limitations, the absence of a true frontman left the rest of the band a bit rudderless. Steve Kimock is a true jazz virtuoso, whose sound seems perfect for "the Jerry spot," but his style works best in an ensemble like his own group. Perhaps this was why he was paired with Mark Karan (the man he is filling in for) in The Other Ones. The saxophone can also be a great complement to the Dead’s music, but it can wear a little thin without a fiery lead guitar.
The setlist certainly wasn’t a problem, but the band never really got cooking. The opening “Shakedown>Minglewood” needed far more snarl and the swirling jams of “Cassidy>Bird Song” lacked both inspiration and direction. The best tunes of the night, “Senor,” “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” and “Looks Like Rain” featured Bobby with sparse accompaniment. The lone exception was a version of “Big Railroad Blues” which came closest to finding the groove.
As for the Allman Brothers Band, I have doubt that they can be the balls-out monster I have seen so many times at the Beacon over the last six years. However, it was during the last run that I noticed that both Warren and Derek were going off on jazz-fueled tangents during songs that usually feature the bluesy sound that has come to define this outfit. I can only assume that the guitarists have now played these songs so often that they need to take them in new directions to avoid feeling stale. That would also explain the increasing stream of cover tunes and guest musicians that Warren has brought with him from the Mule. However, the resulting sound is less enjoyable for me when compared to what they were pumping out night after night only a year ago.
When they wanted to be that band, as was the case with the Aretha Franklin/Duane Allman arrangement of “The Weight”, they kicked serious ass. But often times they seemed to either hold back or go in a more mellow direction, as was the case with Warren’s solos on “Dreams.” The opening pairing of “Les Bres In A Minor>Can’t Lose What You Never Had” showed the fire, but the “Statesboro” that followed was a bit timid for my tastes. The swing arrangement of “Watchtower” that Warren performs with Gov’t Mule featured Ratdog as well. However, the song lacked the "teeth," as my buddy DJ calls it, to carry the slower tempo. The set-closing “Jessica” included a Coltrane-flavored detour, complete with a “My Favorite Things” tease. But this came after the band allowed the momentum of the original song to peter out. Then, in an instant, they would tear it up for a bit.
The song that sounded the most like the band I came to hear was the finale. Perhaps it is because “Whipping Post” is the Allman Brothers Band’s signature live tune, but the band jammed it out hard and wide while staying within the framework of the actual tune. Unfortunately, this felt bittersweet. Like the final revelation in the Land of Oz, the band had the power to go there all along. On this night, however, they simply chose not to use it.
Photo by Brian Diescher
