Greetings Everyone!!!

Welcome to the sixth edition of AIR!!  Thanks again to all the people who
continually support my efforts here, I really think Antelope is worthy of
discussion and is quintessential to understanding the dynamics of phish’s
performances.  Enough BS, today I am going to tackle a European show:
7/21/96 (Nurnberg, Germany) with it’s second set RLAA.  I know that there
are some classics still to be had, but let’s just save those for later,
shall we?!  (Besides, this show has a really nice Free--Antelope -- Simple
combo).

Here  is the complete info:
7/21/96 The Forum- Nurnberg, Germany
Set II
Llama, Theme FTB, Reba, Life on Mars, Free, Antelope, Simple, Prince
Caspian, Suzie Greenberg, E: Hood

Free-- Pretty standard, the new version that appeared this year (sounds
pretty decent, though).  They change up the last verse though to make it
sound very hypnotic in the chording, very droning... Very interesting,
anyway, the end is solid and immediately we get --

Antelope -- Intro:  
Very nice and intricate!  A very quiet cautious and jumpy feel... nothing
outstanding, but then again, an average antelope is pretty good.  But
THEN__

Opening theme: 2:25  Solid but nothing out of the ordinary.  Trey is very
much settled back enjoying the ride.  He is not going to strain himself on
this one at first, he figures, hell, I’m in Europe, why not live a
little...  He’s cutting the riffs with authority, but I don’t hear any
stretches, not tonight!

Trill!: 2:54

Key Change to Em: 3:00  Page is on it at once and Trey is whispering right
behind him... there is this jumpy, cautious feel again happening.  Very
reserved with absolutely nothing liberal coming from Trey-- what’s going
on here?  (Perhaps they are enjoying all those great German beers, no?)
Trey is finally getting his act together laying down something substantial
and Page is just DYING for him (trey) to break loose.  Jon is there as
well changing it up just to get Trey to cut out of this droning
monotony... Page hammering to try to get Trey’s attention!  Trey returns,
signaling that he is doing this on purpose, but Page just can’t wait!!!
The back and forth here is just palpable... Trey begins to extend out a
bit and reach new heights.  This is going to be one of those versions
where everyone is just waiting anxiously to explode and then-  

Second Gear: 7:12  Trey is coming alive!!!  We are getting into things
now!  Trey is breaking loose, in a very serious and controlled way though,
almost like a monster coming out of a cave.  Trey and Page a working
things up, whipping the jam up into a furry which erupts into:

Third Gear: 8:26  wow... things are progressing now.  T and P are just
building up and climaxing like crazy.  Nothing outside of the ordinary or
spectacularly interesting but still very nice.  trey rides a peak directly
into what I would call:

Fourth Gear: 9:27  Very intense with wild, wild guitar work.  This version
is as serious as they come... serious in the sense that there is no
fooling around the Trey seems to be concentrating very hard, not really
having fun and hanging loose.  Just about to erupt and then...

Pre-Marco-Groove: 9:40  climax falls to the floor...  Strange lines from
Trey and Page, but Mike and Fish are far from being on top of things.
Where are they?  A rousing groove nevertheless.  I love this section just
because the wild crazy jam simply falls off so dramatically, and the new
feel is so serious and serene... but then we get this comedy:

Trey:- Ry, Ry, Rocco!!

MARCO ESQUANDOLAS: 10:48 

Would you happen to have any spike, man?

Gear Shift Theme: 11:01 Page is leading the charge as Trey is dreaming of
America again or something.  

Trey:- Set the Gear shift (segment) 11:48   

Run Like an Antelope out of control!!!!
End: 12:36  A very short version, but still has its moments none the less.
Interesting that Trey would just not go crazy for the first few minutes of
the Em theme.  This may be a sign of maturing for the band, as they didn’t
throw all the cards on the table at once and held us in anticipation for
sooooo long.  Not the greatest version, but this is a cool show with a
decent if not good Antelope.

Simple-- !!!  Fish laying down very funky on the drums!  A pretty good
version, imo.

Anyway folks, send me your comments and stuff... I am really looking
forward to doing the CBall Antelope soon, also 3/13/92 (I saw you guys
mentioning it, don’t think I didn’t see that!).  

Till next time,
The Captain