Mike Gordon & Thunder Smith Guest With Bob Weir & RatDog

The Phish / Grateful Dead connection was on display once again tonight, when Mike Gordon sat in with Bob Weir & RatDog at the House Of Blues in Boston. The first RatDog tour in over four years continues to impress as the Phish bassist’s guest spot was only one of the many notable moments from Monday night’s show.

Gordon, in town to celebrate tomorrow’s release of his Overstep LP with an in-store at Newbury Comics, emerged early in the second set to replace Robin Sylvester on bass for “Bird Song.” Later in the set Tony “Thunder” Smith (Lou Reed/John McLaughlin/Santana) sat in on drums for the evening’s “Stuff” segment.

Earlier in the evening Weir led his band through “My Brother Esau,” which made its RatDog debut at the Sweetwater Music Hall “rehearsal” show on February 5. Bobby and the band continue to deliver interesting pairings with both “Easy to Slip” > “Supplication” > “Easy To Slip” and “Turn On Your Lovelight” > “Shakey Ground” > “Turn On Your Lovelight” making the setlist. RatDog wrapped up the eventful show with Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” in the encore slot.

Watch footage of Mike guesting on “Bird Song” via Chris Van Slyke:

Set One: The Music Never Stopped > Mama Tried > My Brother Esau, Easy to Slip > Supplication > Easy to Slip, Mission In The Rain > Easy Answers > Two Djinn

Set Two: KC Moan@, Fever@, Friend Of The Devil@, Bird Song (w/ Mike Gordon replacing Robin Sylvester on bass), China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider > Stuff (w/ Tony “Thunder” Smith), Death Don’t Have No Mercy, Turn On Your Lovelight > Shakey Ground > Turn On Your Lovelight

Encore: It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue

[Setlist via Ratdog.org]