Mikes review - 7/21/98 Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ

Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2000 21:18:17 -0800
From: Charles Dirksen cdirksen@earthlink.net
To: rmp@archive.phish.net
Subject: 7/21/98 Desert Sky Mike's Groove
 
7/21/98  Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ
 
Opening to this Mike's is straightforward.  Nothing special.  A bit
slower than early versions of Mike's, but standard time for recent
versions.  "Tramps jam" kicks in at 2:51.  Page tools around on the
clav in the opening of the jam segment, more than usual.  Trey lets
out a digital delay loop.  Mike and Fish just funk along.  Trey comes
in ominously repeating a riff at around 4 mins.  He repeats this riff
several times before beginning to solo around 4:55.  His solo is
melodic and purposeful (not at all off-key and eerie, like early
versions of Mike's Song).  Trey continues to mellifluously, and
patiently, solo for the next two minutes, before riffing in a more
stern manner around 7.  Page's accompaniment is ear-catching and quite
complimentary.  Mike and Fish just respectfully coast along the bottom.
 
Trey picks things up in intensity around 7:30, but only for a measure
or two, before he repetitively riffs in an almost Manteca-like manner
(around 8:13).  It's not a Manteca tease/quote, but it's almost there!
Trey finally plunges into the upper octaves around 8:40, still soloing
purposefully and not aimlessly!  However, instead of climaxing, the
jam suddenly drops back around 9:05 or so -- and Mike and Fish become
more prominent.  Trey and Page tool around, as Fish and Mike lay down
something more funky.  Trey starts noodling, and around 10:50 the jam
sounds like it could be a YEM jam segment, frankly.  Page has moved
over to the clavinet (11:10) as Trey starts repeating a catchy riff.
This groove continues to sound like it could be a YEM jam segment
(12:17). Though Trey is pretty repetitive, Fish is really mixing it up
on the bottom! (12:40) Trey starts noodling around more melodically in
the lower octaves, but this only lasts a measure or two before he's
back to repeating a riff in a funky manner..
 
This Mike's Song jam coasts along in a YEM jam-segment like fashion,
featuring some mellifluous noodling from Trey, until around 15 minutes
or so, when it begins to take on a more forceful, Mike's feel
again...  Yet it is still a lot more melodic than Mike's usually is!
This Mike's jam climaxes well, with fierce activity from Trey and Fish
in particular! (16:30)  At 16:48 the Mike's tramps segment closing
chords finally come in, and at 17:07 Trey plays The Note that starts
the post-tramps segment... Simple's first note.  And Simple it is.
Though this Mike's was unusual in light of the melodic activity in the
jam segment, none of it really grabbed me, personally.  Your Mileage
May Vary, as they say.  But I don't hear anything that would qualify
as "teary-eyed hose" or anything close to it.  Nothing must-hear.
 
Simple contains some pretty Type I jamming, but nothing unusually
impressive to my ears, until the last minute, when Trey creates almost
harp-like effects by very very quickly playing up and down his 'doc.
Very cool, and a very charming ending to this looong Simple.  Trey
starts Bittersweet Motel at 28:40.  A typical BM.
 
Fish starts up Weekapaug at 31:03, and Mike lets fly a flurry of
snappy notes, before Trey and Page begin playing the opening chords at
31:39.  Trey opens the jam segment by chording along with the groove
in a textural, funky manner (Mike is the only one being melodic). He
continues in this vein for several minutes.  Page is strong on the
keys!  Trey doesn't start soloing until around 35:30 or so...  It's
typically great 'paug soloing at first.  Page (on piano at this point)
accompanies really well -- Fish and Mike just work the bottom.  Trey's
soloing at this point (37:20) begins to pick up in intensity, and
Fish, Mike and Page pick things up, too!
 
They are undoubtedly slaying many people in the audience at this point
(38), but this is still just typically fierce 'paug jamming (in light
of the last few years).  Nice peak at 38:20 or so, and a good climax,
but definitely not in the "best ever" category or anywhere close, IMO.
Around 39:15 Trey starts playing the closing 'paug chords. Mike really
funks it up in this ending!  Trey carries this out a bit. The closing
lyrics don't begin until 40:17. Total time: 41:15.  This is clearly an
above average Mike's Groove in light of the history of the tune,
though pretty average in light of the last few years.  Still worth a
B+ in my
 
two cents,
charlie


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