I'm finding my punctuality is for shit at this endeavor. My apologies to you all for my ongoing tardiness.
R15 / W4
NICU - Tight, fresh sounding opener. Mike sounds clear and commanding. This is a great sounding source for sure. Trey gets a little wonky with his chording, but is saved by the rest of the gang. Liftoff is achieved.
Chalkdust - Cool feedback intro. Pretty driving version, held together by Mike and Fishman. Decent solo meandering by T, taking a key shift or two, followed expertly by all before bringing it back in hot for the finish. Man, the sound is just off the hook.
AC/DC Bag - Soupy slow bag, sounds real sweet. Trey rips some sticky licks to kick off the jam, and then drops back to beeping and lets Mike bump up the groove. They lock in and proceed to rock it to the end.
U. P. - Trey is off in some other place on this one, particularly in the beginning, but they manage to make it sound pretty good by the time it's done.
Ghost - Perfect slow creep up through the loops. This is definitely where it's at. Sweet funky Jebus, thank you for acting through Whatapiaper to bring this Ghost to my ears. Prime, prime stuff. The whole thing. The soaring tones somewhere around 13 min or so bring me around to realize I've been sitting, listening, rapt and unable to type. Fully spaced out. Things get crazed starting around 17 and then grind to a quick, simple stop.
Far. Out.
Frankie Says - Cool dreamy song that I like a lot, and this version is very smooth and well played. The tumbling of Page and Trey's lines are truly beautiful.
Divided Sky - Bam. Great pacing to this set so far, and this Sky sounds great right from the get go. The composed section is pulled off, if slightly tentatively. Sounds like they were concentrating real hard. Sweet loops during the space. Yahoos yell at Treys reentrance. Bummer, dude. gradual fade up with mike big and round and down so low. Really nice post-pause section and jam.
Farmhouse - Time to hit the Space Shower TV. Good version especially considering the newness, with good wah-bley guitar from Trey. Mellow set ender.
Set II
DwD - Slab 'a slice 'a chunk 'a. Mike totally underwater. This source and show really lets you hear his craziness with amazing clarity. Things are a little loose and off vocally, but no one really cares. The theme launches straight into jam space with all units in position. They coast down to a glide at around 5 min. and Trey starts pushing at the boundaries, messing off the tempo, going abstract, while the band churns at speed. Cracks begin to appear in the foundation as loops and more distortion from T jumble over the surface. At about 11 min or so, a major tone shift begins, and the guys bring it down to a nice rockin' bump. Drifting chords on the ivories from Page, before delicate touches to his organ, letting the groove flow now. Audience cheers signal a step out by Mike and Fishman around 14 and a half, taking a turn to the lead, with Page right there in the pocket. Trey is doing a great job just filling the rhythm. The speed kicks up a little, and Mike starts bringing some minor and atonal elements in to make a backdrop for some very odd sounds from Trey. Page goes somewhere between monster movie and merry-go-round. Awesome spooky conjunction at 21 minutes with Mike owning, Fishman a close second. Dudes, I can't keep up with this any more, gotta just ride the rest out into ambient aftershock. This is a seriously deep Disease. Love it. >
Lizahdz - Def. not the best ever, but it gets the job done. Page makes any roughness fall away. Beautiful fade out and back in, perfectly executed.
Bike - Best version I've encountered. A fine example of motovacuumous erudition.
HYHU - Cause he hates it.
YEM - Wow, monster setlist! Good extended nirvana section is extended and good. Composed over all is just peachy. Summer sunshine in the post nirvana swing segment. Mike hits the heights in his spoot light and the band strums it up quickstep to Treys wank sections, which are fah-lamin'. Ultra smooth funk vocal section. So good, I can't stop listening over and over. Perfect Mike. Perfect Trey following the leader rolling around, so slow, so nasty, Mike and Page now, liquid. ~11:40, Trey's loop cuts off, before you register it had been building, and the drop is made to warping wiggle time. F'd up mode. Jelly rope candy style.
Wizardly jam fades to feedback, with Mike bursting bubbles through the ooze briefly before cutting out. Amazing they could instantly quiet the crowd like that...
Jiboo - Sweet encore slotage. This show is a real smile maker. Sugary, gold toned cruise into the night to wrap this fully epcot show. This song is making a pleasant backdrop to a look back over this review, and I have to say, this one is going in my favorites and I will be looking up more from this Japan leg.
Great Pick, Whatapiper!
Caravan, yours is next!
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