Perfect Weekend (1)

Fri 2.27.2004


John had bought the tickets soon after Ratdog announced their tour for year 2004.

Last year the band toured south Cal around the same time of the year. This was the second time we'd have seen them in San Diego.

We went to 4th & B at about 8:30 pm, 30 minutes after the door opened, sort of missing actions in the parking lot and the waiting lines. But we knew there'd always be something going on after the show.

Tired from work, both of us chose to sit through, at least, the first set. We chatted away nearly an hour before the show started. While we're talking, John spotted a man with gray hair 4 or 5 rows below us. He joked: "Hey, that guy looks like Bill Walton!" Well, we only saw the back of that guy with nice wheat colored sports jacket (suit-like) on. I, kind of, doubted Bill would sit in the area for regular Joe's. Don't they have private seating sections at 4th & B? I don't know�

Three men came sitting next to us. One of them started to talk to us about the tie-dye shirt in his hand.

"You don't see many long-sleeved ones. This guy and his wife made�" he went on and on raving about his shirt.

"That's a cool pattern." John sounded enthusiastic.

"This guy and his wife made tie-dyes for years�" He sure was gong ho about it.

"How much is it?" John started to ask him about sales related questions. All along we thought he's selling T-shirts.

"No! No! No! I'm a consumer." He laughed.

"Where d'you get it?"

"At the parking lot."

He and his friends set their coats on the chairs then took off, no even checking back during the break. (What...?)


As the crowd filled the entire dance floor, Bob and gang took center stage. I always love their opening jam -- a jazzy tune would mellow you away.

Plenty of fav songs and a bit less experimented sounds than last year, I thought. John commented the "Little Red Rooster" was the best version he's heard for years.

When the second set started, I seriously could not sit any longer. I've been sitting all day at work already and the sleeping bug almost got me right then. (Sorry Bob! It's not you; it's me.)

I urged John to the dance floor. It's the best way to enjoy a concert!

There was a man towering everybody on the floor with both of his hands raising in the air. The sleeves were half solid color and half tie-dyed; on the back, just below the neck, on a bed of navy nested a lighting bolt (skeleton head) in white. It was Bill Walton, no doubt about it.

We were 2 to 3 feet from Bill, so I could see, occasionally, someone came patting his back or shaking his hands. Over all, people left him alone to enjoy the show. It's no secret that Bill is one of the most known deadheads. Spotting him at any of "the other ones" shows might not be as rare as I thought. (Still, people often behave strangely around celebrities.)

The show was great but the coolest part, I thought, was the live recording available immediately after the show. I'm amazed by the technological advancement. Perhaps, it's the norm nowadays but we just don't go out often enough to know. Anyway, they must have had burnt the CDs with incredible speed and no time to put song list on. (The set list had already been posted on-line when we got home.)

John purchased the live recording of the night (3 CD set) then we hung out at the parking lot for a while, buying ourselves a couple of tie-dye shirts. Long-delayed. I never wanted anything that possibly would address a statement or cause mis-perceptions. (How silly of me.)

A drum jamming session in the parking lot heated up the 45-degree air. Well, there's only one drum. A few pounded on the (metal) service boxes around the curb. I couldn't tell what kind of service boxes those were. Traffic lights? Electricity?

The smell of tacos at the (temporary) sidewalk stands reminded us dinner was 6 hours ago. We walked away from the late night snack and sober, heading home. I like that!