Mikes review - 8/7/98 Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC

Date: Sun, 09 Apr 2000 12:38:48 -0700
From: Charles Dirksen cdirksen@earthlink.net
Subject: 8/7/98 Walnut Creek Mike's Groove
 
8/7/98 Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC
 
Thanks Lyle P. for the heads up!
 
Mike's Song follows a decent Chalkdust second set opener.  Tramps jam
kicks in around 2:49.  Trey doesn't take too long before he begins
soloing darkly in the lower octaves (which he didn't do in the 8/1/98
Mike's at all).  Good lead soloing from Trey, but he still seems to be
searching around for a theme.  Good tramps jam, but nothing more
inspired than average, so far.  Around 7:10 Trey lets loose a flurry
of licks that is pretty cool -- and Mike gets very melodic on the
bass. Trey continues riffing with fast and fiery licks around 7:40.
Niiice.  Reminds me of his soloing in the 10/30/98 Tweezer.  Strong
riffs from Trey in here (8:25).  But they seem kinda frenzied and out
of place.  The others just keep belting out a straightfoward Mike's
Song...
 
Trey continues to throw out some sick and twisted riffs (9:15).
Doesn't sound like he's really paying attention to what the others are
doing.  He's just releasing these SIIICK riffs left and right, almost
in a Robert Fripp-like fashion.  Fish hits the crash a lot more than
he usually does in Mike's (10:53).  Things cool down around 11:08, but
Trey still lets out these fiery, fast riffs.  Spooky.  Very dark and
eerie groove (11:40) develops. Trey continues to release spooky and
twisted riffs overtop the coasting, gliding groove Page, Mike and Fish
lay down beneath his evil riffing. (12:48)  Finally, at 14 minutes,
the closing chords to Mike's Song's tramps segment sneak in.  And at
14:19 Simple begins.  (fans of the 10/30/98 Tweezer MUST hear this
Mike's Song!)
 
Simple, Alburqurque, LxL, and Velvet Sea..
 
(starting a new timing for the Weekapaug, which starts two seconds or
so after Velvet Sea ends, and which closes the set)
 
Good opening solo from Mike in this 'paug!  Trey and Page don't come
in when they usually do with the opening chords, which gives Mike a
bonus 20 seconds or so to play lead bass.  Vocals sound kinda tired,
but Fish is still pounding out the rhythm with gusto.  There's not a
lot of melodic soloing from Trey, before he starts chording funkily
(around 3:10). Page takes off on the clav!  Great work from Page.
Mike is pretty melodic, too.  Trey just lets loose a chord here and
there.  Around 4:56 Page takes off on the clav once more!! Powerful
action from him in this 'paug.  Trey is still chording along (5:25),
chilling.  Letting Page take this 'paug for strong.  And then at 5:46
Trey blasts back into typically melodic 'paug soloing, strongly
accompanied by Fish, Mike and Page!  Great climactic jamming!  It's
amazing what these guys can do night after night!
 
Closing chords at 7:31.  And once again, Trey and Fish start picking
up the rhythm.  It gets fast but not ludicrously so.  Page takes off
on the piano!  =^]  Page really ruled this Weekapaug!  Trey solos some
more in this closing segment, too (8:33), and the crowd approves.
Closing chords again at 9:22 or so, and then lyrics at 9:32.
Unusually dramatic ending. Total time: 10:46.
 
Wow.  Really enjoyed the back half of the Mike's Song and the
Weekapaug.  Page just *RULED* the Weekapaug.  Still, this isn't really
a strong A-range version, IMO.  There's not enough diversity in the
jamming. Worth a B+/A- rating, though, as I hear it.
 
I urge anyone who is impressed by this show to check out 6/16/95
Walnut Creek (which is far better, IMO, and which features the first
improvisational Runaway Jim).
 
two cents,
charlie



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