Mikes review - 7/16/99 PNC Bank Arts Ctr., Holmdel, NJ

Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 21:54:53 -0700
From: Charles Dirksen cdirksen@earthlink.net
Subject: 7/16/99 PNC Mike's Groove
 
7/16/99 PNC Bank Arts Ctr., Holmdel, NJ
 
Thanks to Chris Glushko for this tape (and I know the quality isn't
that great, Chris, but thanks all the same!).
 
Opening to this Mike's Song is as standard as they come. Tramps jam at
2:42.  Trey lets loose a digital delay loop.  Trey's playing in the
tramps segment is entirely in the lower octaves for the first couple
of minutes, and is very repetitive.  Page is on keys.  Mike and Fish
maintain a strong bottom.  Trey starts melodically soloing around
5:10... lasts only a few measures before he gets repetitive again.
 
Eventually, Trey starts soloing in the upper octaves, employing some
kind of hoooty effect (for awhile).  There's great accompaniment from
Mike, Fish and Page (mostly on piano).  But there's still no central
theme or point. (10 mins)  The jam sounds really disjointed and
unpleasant around 11:25, in my opinion.  This jam doesn't do anything
for me, though it is more musically interesting and complex than the
vast majority of early 1990's versions, of course.
 
At 11:42 Trey leaps into the closing chords of the tramps segment,
which seems to come as a surprise to the others.  The "note" that
signals the start of the post-tramps segment appears at 11:59, and
after only two measures or so, Fish segues nicely into Hydrogen's
rhythm.  Mike also starts playing Hydrogen early.  Trey lets loose a
flurry of effects in the background, it sounds like (including one
which is an annoying loop.. which just repeats and repeats).  Page
plays some bizarre chords.  This sounds shitty, in my opinion.  (13
mins)  Page is just toying around on the piano (13:50).  It's not
until around 14 minutes where Hydrogen's melody starts to appear
(Mike).  Mike starts playing Hydrogen more solidly at 14:22.  Page
joins in.  Trey finally starts playing Hydrogen at 15:19.  Hydrogen
really isn't played very well (the last 30 seconds are especially
poor).
 
Weekapaug kicks in at 18:07.  Some snappy work from Mike in the
opening 30 seconds, before Mike and Trey start playing 'paug's chords.
Melodic soloing from Trey, as always, overtop passionate, brilliant
accompaniment from Mike, Fish and Page (on piano), as always.  God I
love this song!! =^]  It just kicks so much ass.  Trey SHREDS around
22:25!
 
At 23 minutes, the jam drops down a level in intensity, into what I've
referred to in past reviews as a "quiet mode," even though it isn't
that quiet.  There's almost call and response activity going on in
this jam between all four band members.  Very cool!  They are
obviously listening to each other very intensely.  A collective effort
at this point.  Mike is prominent in the mix, and raging!  At 25:30 or
so, Trey starts quoting "Also Sprach Zarathustra"!  He keeps quoting
it, too, for the next 30 seconds!
 
Another "quiet mode" of sorts begins around 26:30. They're switching
gears once again.  Mike is tearing it up!! (27)  They shortly return
to the closing 'paug chords, though, without wailing out a climax.
WTF!?  What a weak ending. Very odd...  Closing lyrics kick in around
27:56. Total time:  28:37. A second or two later, Trey starts playing
"Simple." (there's no segue at all)
 
Rating?  Eh. B/B+.
 
two cents,
charlie



hits (many)