Mikes review - 8/1/99 Fuji Rock Festival, Naeba, Niigata, JAPAN

Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2000 10:50:33 -0700
From: Charles Dirksen cdirksen@earthlink.net
Subject: 8/1/99 Mike's Groove..
 
8/1/99 Fuji Rock Festival, Naeba, Niigata, JAPAN
 
Mike's starts up after Llama in this second set.  I have no idea
whether they had planned beforehand to play Tweezer, Mike'sGroove AND
YEM all in this single set, but methinks probably not.  The Tweezer is
short and sweet.  This Mike'sGroove isn't remarkable, though. Still,
this set is worth checking out for all of its jamming tunes.  Besides
the Cypress 12/31 late night "set", this setLIST was the most
impressive of 1999 in my opinion.  They just don't play this many
jamming tunes in a single set anymore (like they used to).
 
Mike's Song opens well.  Like the Tweezer, it's a wee bit slower than
usual.  Laid back. Trampolines segment begins at 2:53.  Page is heavy
on the organ.  Trey lets loose a digital delay loop, before he starts
playing along with the groove around 3:30.  Very collective.  No rock
star Trey, no one leads (3:54).  It's cool hearing Page so prominent
in the mix.  Trey takes a more aggressive tack after a few measures
more, but still isn't really "leading" per se.  They seem to clearly
be listening to each other in this jam (4:50).  It's a very punchy,
tough jam, but without the dissonant, screeching, shronking, annoying
(intentionally so!) noise of the early versions.  Trey plays in the
lower octaves only. (5:40)  Trey soon becomes more active, and does
start soloing melodically overtop Mike, Fish and Page, but it doesn't
last long.  Page comes in with strong organ chords that powerfully
make this jam SOUND more collective.  Trey once again solos more
distinctively around 7 mins, but nothing exceptional transpires.  At
7:30, in fact, things get a bit crazy and dissonant for a measure
(tension), but only for a measure before there's release.  Some decent
playing over the course of the next minute, but nothing unusually
impressive, IMO.  At 8:29 Trey starts playing the closing chords to
the tramps segment, and at 8:49, nails THAT NOTE that often signals
the start of "Simple" (but always signals the start of the post-tramps
jam segment).
 
Fish doesn't waste much time before starting Hydrogen's rhythm (at
9:08).  Some sustained, wall-of-sound effects from Trey, Mike and Page
in the first minute after the end of Mike's tramps segment.  Trey
starts noodling around a bit, but without teasing Hydrogen (even
though Fish is still keeping a H2 beat).  Mike and Page are also
melodically tooling around, but without teasing or even hinting at
Hydrogen.  Fish is still riding the ride cymbal in a Hydrogen-fashion,
but adds a bunch of fills (10:45).
 
It's very difficult to describe this post-tramps segment jam.  It's
melodic but not especially pretty, in my opinion.  Mike starts playing
Hydrogen around 12 mins, in the same key that Trey and Page are in
(but it isn't the right H2 key), below Trey's persistent, somewhat
melodic but not that engaging noodling.  Page plays some wonderful
chords in accompaniment on the piano.  But Trey still just seems to me
to be tooling around aimlessly (12:50), and it isn't really blending
that well with Fish's and Mike's playing of Hydrogen, and Page's
chords on the piano.  Trey stops noodling, and then repeats a chord
around 13:50, for a couple of measures, and Mike and Fish both stop
playing H2.  Suddenly at 14:17 they switch into the proper Hydrogen
key, and begin Hydrogen.  A -> into Hydrogen for a change (not simply
a >).  Hydrogen is played OK, but isn't flawless (the last minute in
particular is a bit shaky at times).
 
Weekapaug starts up at 17:37ish, and Mike solos for a few measures,
before Trey and Page break out with the 'paug chords.  Jam segment
begins at 19:12, and Trey takes off melodically soloing overtop the
others, as you've heard him do countless other times in this
incredibly spirited tune.  Around 19:58 Trey repeats a riff that
sounds familiar, but I can't name or place it.  He's probably played
it before in 'paug, frankly. ;-P  Trey's soloing is smooth and strong
but nothing exceptional in these opening minutes. He's such an
exceptional guitarist than he's AMAZING usually, of course.  The jam
cools off a bit around 22:22, but just a bit.  Trey repeats a riff
really quickly for a few measures, before breaking out around 22:50
with some more funky chords.  Fish drops the 'paug rhythm, but only
for a couple of measures.
 
Cool, collective jam in here (23:22), that I can't even adequately
describe. Trey keeps repeating these funky chords at a fast pace, as
Mike and Page melodically complement each other with a note here and a
chord there.  Fish keeps up with Trey, for the most part.  Some
"Stop/Start" action around 24:10.  Mike starts playing this badass
riff around 24:25 (!!). Sounds familiar, but again, I can't place it
(DAMMIT!). Very cool riff, though!
 
At 24:50 Trey returns to typically melodic 'paug soloing, and everyone
regroups in 'paug mode.  Very spirited effort from ALL in this closing
'paug jam (26), but still "typically awesome 'paug" as I hear it.
Trey starts the closing chords at 26:34.  Closing lyrics begin at
27:06, softly. Total time: 27:47.  Not an especially remarkable
version, but it fits really nicely in this fun set, doesn't it?!?
B/B+ rating.
 
two cents,
charlie



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