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Ratdog, Rusted Root head up Further-like festival
Though the Grateful Dead spin-off tour Further Festival won't take to the road this year, Bob Weir's Ratdog will head up a similarly themed tour dubbed So Many Roads. Rusted Root , Karl Denson's Tiny Universe and Keller Williams will also be on the bill.
The tour will get underway on Aug. 10 in Scranton, Pa., and is scheduled to run for a month. Tickets will go on sale first through the Grateful Dead's mail order ticketing service; details are available on the ticketing service's website. After the mail order period ends, tickets will go on sale through traditional outlets.
Ratdog, which had been a side project of Weir's even before the death of Jerry Garcia, released its first studio recording, "Evening Moods," last year. The band features bassist Rob Wasserman, drummer Jay Lanem, guitarist Mark Karan, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and horn player Kenny Brooks.
Rusted Root--a jam band that was greatly influenced by the Grateful Dead--released a self-titled album in 1998. The band is currently in the studio with producer Bill Bottrell (Sheryl Crow, Shelby Lynne).
Acclaimed jazz-funk saxophoinist Karl Denson--who will be joined on the tour by his band Tiny Universe--released his latest album, "Dance Lesson #2" (Blue Note) in May. Bluegrass-rooted singer-songwriter-guitarist Keller Williams recently released a live album titled "Loop" (SCI Fidelity).
Ratdog is also scheduled to play several dates in July with Grateful Dead bandmate Phil Lesh.
