Mikes review - 7/17/98 Gorge Amphitheater, George, Washington

Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 22:56:37 -0800
From: Charles Dirksen cdirksen@earthlink.net
To: rmp@archive.phish.net
Subject: 7/17/98 Gorge Mike's Groove
 
7/17/98  Gorge Amphitheater, George, Washington
 
Thank you, Mike Stolte, for reminding me to review this one! (and
thank you, Eric Angel, for the tapes)  This is a controversial version
and for good reason.
 
Standard opening to this Mike's, with the tramps jam kicking in around
2:48.  Trey just chords along repetitively for awhile, jamming along
with Mike, Page and Fish.  He doesn't do much at all, frankly, in the
first few minutes.  A little riff here and there around 4:30.  But
that's it.  Hell, still not much going on around 5:35.  Looking only
at the first six minutes, this is probably the dullest Mike's Song
I've heard in many years.  Even the early versions at least feature
some SHRIEKING, twisted activity from Trey.
 
Around 6:30 Trey plays a few more notes here and there, but they
appear to be aimless.  Sustains a note for awhile.  It's remarkable
how dull and thoughtless this review -- and this Mike's Song -- are up
to this point (7:42).  Some eerie noises around 8:15 (there's an
eerie, screeching effect in here, too.. wild!).  Trey is still
chording A LOT.  Not soloing at all.  The jam kinda just plods along..
darkly.  Like early versions, but bereft of the psycho Trey guitar
riffing.
 
At 9:21 Trey sustains a note, and there's some kind of screeching,
shrieking effect along with it.  At 10:06 Trey climbs his 'doc slowly
and ominously, but still doesn't riff hard at all.  I simply cannot
believe how dull this version is up to this point (10:34). Incredibly
dull.  Trey returns to Plodding Chords around 10:42.  End this opening
tramps segment, please!!  END IT!!  PLEASE!! YES!!!!  At 11 mins the
closing chords kick in (and Trey repeats that same plodding riff
again).  Then there's a dramatic pause (instead of more closing
chords), before the Note that signals the post-tramps-segment occurs
at 11:19.  The post-tramps segment just slowly and steadily DIES OUT..
the rhythm slows down dramatically... but a steady, mellow, soulful
jam begins to arise. =^]
 
Unlike the first 12 minutes of this Mike's, which were as boring as
Mike's Song *ever* gets, IMO, the next five minutes of this Mike's are
charming and gorgeous. Around 14 mins, Trey is soloing mellifluously
o'er top a gentle, gliding groove that Fish, Mike and Page lay down
(Page is on the grand).  This is one of those Happy Hose Phamily Phun
jams.. one you simply can't do nothun but smile smile smile at! =^]
It's not all that intense at this early stage (15:36).  It just coasts
along in a spiritually serene manner.  The Gorge is such a wonderful
venue.  I can imagine what it must have been like to hear this jam
there.  No wonder so many have praised this Mike's!  This is a
glorious jam. I was at the Gorge in 1997 for two not-that-memorable
shows, but it didn't matter.  I'll never forget the spectacular view
from the top of the lawn.  If you have never been, it is worth going
just for the view.  I think the Gorge view kicks Red Rocks's ass.
 
This melodic jam dies out wistfully around 17 minutes.  Page and Trey
gently accompany eachother on piano and guitar respectively (17:40).
The "jam" is very spacey at this point (18:20), and there's not much
going on -- when, suddenly, Fishman just starts kicking out the
Weekapaug rhythm (and Mike joins in quickly, too).  Oh well.  Not a
very smooth transition, but whatever.. (Weekapaug starts side B of my
tape, but I don't think my timing will be that far off the mark)
 
Weekapaug's jam segment (after the opening lyrics) begins around
20:52, and Trey repeats a riff, as Page plays magnificently on the
clavinet, and Mike and Fish bang out 'paug.   Trey comes in soloing
after a few measures in typical Weekapaugian fashion, but a bit more
reserved than he usually is at this early point in the jam.  He just
tools around for the first couple of minutes.  This 'paug doesn't get
very serious until 24:40 or thereabouts, when -- after a measure or
two -- Trey teases NICU (in a different key).  WOW!!  Trey's soloing
around 25:35 is excellent!!  Finally!  At 26:17 Trey shreds some
more!  Good climactic ending to this 'paug.
 
Closing 'paug chords at 27:09, and Fish picks up the pace.  Pace
continues to pick up.  And pick up. (28) Where are the closing
lyrics?  Crowd lets out a yell!!  Trey starts chording along like the
badass that he is around 28:30, and Page suddenly starts FLYING on the
Clavinet!! =^]  At 28:57 it's only Page and Fish!!  (don't hear this
very often -- in fact, I can't think of another time in a Weekapaug
when only Fish and Page were playing but neither Mike nor Trey)  This
closing jam just COOKS!!  It stops and starts every few measures (like
those Tubes from Fall 1996 or whenever it was).  Phaat,
funky-yet-bluesy jam around 31:15!!  This jam marches along for a bit,
aimlessly, and then at 32:30 or so, Fish kicks back in the Weekapaug
beat -- but Trey starts up Character Zero, effectively cutting him off
after a second or two.  What the @&#$$!&%!   That was lame! :^[ Total
time about 32:34.
 
Controversial?  Damn straight.  I think the Mike's had five minutes of
GORGEOUS jamming, but was otherwise monotonous and worthless.  I think
the Weekapaug had about ten strong minutes of jamming, but given the
lameness of its ending and the placidity (avg-greatness at best) of
its opening, well...  It's not consistently above average IMO.  Easy
"N/R" for this controversial version of Mike's Groove. Please add your
own
 
two cents,
charlie


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