From: Charlie Dirksen
5/4/94 State Palace Theater, New Orleans, LA A very nice Antelope opens
this set (even though it is shorter than average),
btw and fwiw, but it is the only thing impressive about this set, imo.
Caravan (E) is attention-grabbing, to say the least, but this
version isn't unusually special. Very opening is standard/great/accurate,
and this version as a whole is on the upbeat side, for
certain. The pre-Nirvana section is mystical (gorgeous), but nothing
so awe-inspiringly majestic as to especially jettison my soul
skyward. And it isn't all that drawn out (no "Vibration of Life").
Nirvana comes at 2:33, and its jam is very pleasant (and as
textbook as the opening). Mike's solo section at 3:15 hits an awry
note or too, and is very sinister.. almost like he's scolding the
audience. Trey's jamming around the first Note is magnificent.. he's
very excited in here. The rest of this whole "pre-charge"
section is quite excellent, too.. great sustain from Trey on the Second
Note... Charge at 5:31, and then "Boy" at 5:49. The
WUDMTF segment is similarly well-played, and contains some melodious
noodling from Trey inbetween the shots at the
WUDMTF lines. "Tramps jam" begins at around 7:55, and Page starts completely
wigging out. Instead of getting on the tramps
(I don't hear any tramps signals), a bunch of horn players come out
on stage, it sounds like, and start blowing immediately.
There's a tenor sax, an alto trombone and a trumpet, it sounds like..
These guys aren't playing anything composed (this isn't like
the 7/91 YEMs), but are rather just spitting out notes. Around 9:52,
the jam just drops out.. just dies out quickly (with the last
note being sustained by the trumpeteer). Total time 10 minutes. Not
a keeper of a YEM for me, and one of the shortest
versions I've ever reviewed. It is nevertheless above average given
how powerfully accurate the composed opening section was
played, and the lil horns jam.. C+ rating. The jam, though, never climaxed
or anything.. it just died. Kinda strange, frankly (and
the Buried Alive that comes next has no jam segment.. it is very, very
short). two cents KingMoron420