R1/W13: 08-13-1997 Star Lake Amphitheatre, Burgettstown, PA

[cactusfan]

you guys are way off base about jephrey's what's the use comment.

obviously he was pointing out how awesome it would have been if right there the entire band had traveled into the future, taken the whole crowd with them, busted out what's the use? and then returned to the past (present) to continue with golgi.

which move, you have to admit, would have totally kicked ass!

in other words, this set has an IMPLIED FUTURE TIME TRAVEL moment! how many other shows of the week have had that, i ask you?

[jonyem]

in other words, this set has an IMPLIED FUTURE TIME TRAVEL moment! how many other shows of the week have had that, i ask you?

See Gamehenge narration 12/31/95

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

in other words, this set has an IMPLIED FUTURE TIME TRAVEL moment! how many other shows of the week have had that, i ask you?

See Gamehenge narration 12/31/95

Actually that's an Implied PAST Time Travel moment.  Which was pretty effing cool...but nowhere near as cool as travelling into the future, playing a song, and then travelling back to the next song in the set.

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

I'm listening to the second set as we speak (first timer here woot!), and while I thought the first set was pretty hit and miss with no flow, the second set is loads better so far (it's no last week tho, that's for sho).

[jonyem]

in other words, this set has an IMPLIED FUTURE TIME TRAVEL moment! how many other shows of the week have had that, i ask you?

See Gamehenge narration 12/31/95

Actually that's an Implied PAST Time Travel moment.  Which was pretty effing cool...but nowhere near as cool as travelling into the future, playing a song, and then travelling back to the next song in the set.

I'm just saying, if they can make time, I'm sure it's no stretch to jump ahead in time, and jump back.

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

I'll say that I pretty much echo everything August said.  Some good parts, but the show is CLUNKY AS HIZZELL.

The Gumbo is GREAT (but a little slow at parts), and the Stash is really really nice (even tho I'd say it's just a B+ or so stash...12/29/95 is what I consider a solid "A" stash).

The thing I like the most about the Stash, is the extremely laid back groove involved.  It is a Stash very much in the style jammistically as the A'dam stash (before that stash gets CRIZZAZZY) and I love that it releases tension WITHOUT EVER BUILDING ANY UP (does anyone understand what I mean?).  It sorta spaces around prettily and then all of a sudden BAM key change...tension release.  Cool little stash groove.

I LOVE the ghost...which is better wholesale than last weeks ghost.  Mike is just so damn active and on point, and I love the segue into Izabella. 

After that the show really loses me.

I liked the 2001...but the Theme really really stunk in my opinion (and I'm a huge Theme fan).

C+, I think this makes a good show for beginners...but so far it might be my least favorite show in the show club.

Btw, last weeks show is my favorite summer '97 show...and received a solid "A-/A" in my book. MAN THAT SEGUE BACK INTO DWD OUT OF TWEEZER IS AMAZING!

[sls.stormyrider]

finished set 1 earlier today. while it's fairly fresh in my mind:

amoreena-interesting choice. a bit "flat" when compared to the original. elton john did lots of great stuff before 74 - worth checking out. anyway, this ones OK

poor heart - good page solo

stash - another excellent stash - not a top 10 but gotta love it

water-ok

gumbo-first 5 minutes was a generic phunk jam, started to get going about 12 min with trey's solo. thought I heard a couple of chords that reminded me of cities right before the solo. anyway, I liked the last part of the jam, and the flight into 97 space

horse/silent-always love it

crosseyed-high point of the set. agree that the jam is "related" to gumbo

wilson-ldb - little drummer boy in august? that's phish :-)

adelide - ok, ready for set 2

[jephrey]

obviously he was pointing out how awesome it would have been if right there the entire band had traveled into the future, taken the whole crowd with them, busted out what's the use? and then returned to the past (present) to continue with golgi.

Actually, that's a good idea, but what I really grasp when I'm listening to a show is that time doesn't exist.  I could be listening to somethnig from 89 and be like, that could go into Crowd Control right there.  My comments are theoretical.

As far as this one, I wonder if anyone else hears it, and it's before 2001.  Sample is fading out and 2001 is about to start with that droning bass sound, and it sounds like a good spot for WTU.  Can anyone else hear it or am I fuk'd?

Jephrey

[sls.stormyrider]

before I start the set 2 review, here's a link to a  unreleased demo you might find interesting.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/g088b3
on to set 2
Jim - good version
Ghost - I really liked the way it ended up. Mike was goin nuts. beginning and middle of the jam were good but not great. Good seque into
Izabella - solid
Monkey - i got tired of this song for a while, but trey does a nice job with it
McGrupp, Sample - both solid. good page solo in mcgrupp, nice segue
2001 - this can be hit or miss with me, this one hits
golgi, frank - also solid
Theme- a big fan of this one, well done

overall good show but not one I would feel the need to listen to repeatedly, especially with all the monstors out there
B/B+
thanks, whatapiper

[petert686]

just listened to set I and loved stash, gumbo, and crosseyed. gumbo was especially tasty. thanks a good pick for show of the week :banana:

[jedifunk]

1st set

amoreena- great cover choice, great placement
stash- great version... the beginning of the jam is great, it really showcases them learning how to just fill in the spaces... less notes, but a better sound... page, mike, & trey are all adding simple notes and layers that really accentuate what the others are doing, which fish has the end held down... very nice...  smooth return to the release with a brief tension section.

gumbo- typical summer funk, rough & accented... slow and mindful, again... filling spaces.  i enjoy this jam even if its just funk.  wish there were a bit more page around the 6-7 min mark... really like the page led jam at around 9 minutes... mike is just in it right here!  eventually trey takes the reins, and slowly they climb, build, climb, higher ever so slowly, mellow funk... great for the summmer!  around 16 min it calms and we've got some nice mellow grooviness...  i wouldnt say this is the best gumbo or even my favorite, but its up there... i find it quite focused, they are listening to each other, complimenting... nice.

crosseyed- umm, yeah, i love crosseyed!

yeah, the setlist makes it look like its disjointed, but i thought the pace was ok... the "big 3" all had a similar feel to them which makes the set gel more for me, while i did enhoy horse->silent...

set 2 later

[VA $l!m]

i'm through the gumbo.
so far:

Amoreena-- sweet. very nice. made me think of summer 98.

then i rEALLY LOVED this STASH!!
hot damn. maybe top 10  i've heard... just amzingly executed. there were a few spots i was sure it was going to fall apart, but it kept building and building, and morphing, and... uh yeah, i'm sorta glad i put this show in to listen to now! 8-)

water in the sky-- BLEHH.  i esp. dislike the early versions... wow, if there is throw away mat'l in this set, this is it! :lol:

gumbo started out pretty good, then it lost me. average vesion i guess.

[gainesvillegreen]

So, re-listening to the show, I had two other memories come back to me, but only two.  So sad. 

Amoreena: Enjoy it, and enjoyed it at the time.  Doing tours, this is one of the things you look for from night to night - not only the legendary jams, but premiers, break-outs, and all around wacky-shit (like the Kesey gag the following night). 

Poor Heart: Good version.  I like when this comes early (1st/2nd song in the first set) as it has an etude-ish air about it - all get solos in to get their fingers loose and get rid of the jitters (although, I'm told, that the jitters only affected 3/4's of the band..up until the final day of Coventry  :wink:)

Stash: Really good version.  I don't have the marks written down, but they lock into a quintessential Stash, first beat heavy 4-8 bar phrase which I wish they would have developed, but alas it was not to be.  I sit here with my head bowed in shame - I have no recollection of this song being played whatsoever.

Water In The Sky: I don't know what to tell you folks.  I've never hated any version I've heard nor this one.  Placement though, here, could be problematic.  Cover, Bluegrass, Dank jam, Quasi-Bluegrass...are they trying to tell us something?
--One of the things about Water In The Sky, this version in particular, is the tempo at which it is played (does it seem slower than later years?).  It is actually kind of difficult to play at this rhythm - on the border of fast and slow, and one has a tendency, as Page does here, to play on and accent every beat in the measure.  I wish he would have employed his sense of space and "not played so many notes" and let beats go by him untouched.  But that is nit-picky B.S.  Bottom line, Water is always welcome when I'm in the lawn.

Gumbo: Song of the set for me.  Reminiscent of the 11/17/97 Ghost in how it brightens up at the 12:00 -13:00 minute mark.  Page sounds like he doesn't want to give in to Trey's two chord figure (a I-V interval I'm pretty sure in the beginning) but ultimately does and it really works.  I liked the Gumbo funk of later years, but I also missed the Page acoustic outtro of yester year. 

Horse/Silent: First flub of the night that I recall or remember hearing on this pass through - towards the end of Silent.  Flubbed or not, what isn't to like?

Beauty Of My Dreams: Third Appalachian spiced song of the set.  Yawn.

C&P: Not the biggest fan.  I'll let the earlier reviewer's positions on the song stand as they are.  I DO remember this being played though...

Wilson/Little Drummer Boy:  Hearing this now, I remember it being played (this is one of the two).  Sure, it works. 

Adeline: I always thought it was cool when the did the acapella.  No different here.  Nice rendition.

[whatapiper]

i will have to re-listen, but for me, this gumbo sums up summer 97 to me.   funky to start, gets heavy, cools down while trey decides to go for it or segue, a little spacey/unorganized, then picks back up when you may have given up and gives you the chills.  i think around the 15min mark they really pick it up and reach a nice little climax where you can really hear the crowds approval.  between the 8-10 min mark is excellent imo, page is getting comfy while trey lays the funk.  then around the 11min-12min mark, mike is layin in hard, page has toned down, and the funk starts to build, then page again at 12:08!  the funk keeps building with page in and out and trey starts soloing at the 13min mark.   and this is when its starting to get heavy imo. 13:30-13:45.  then at 14:25 its about to peak and at 14:45-15:30 it peaks, you can tell the crowd is pumped, then the jam slows down to a nice mellow groove at around 16:15, they should have segued there imo, but instead they let it die down for a couple mins and it almost sounds like they're in the middle of it's ice, right before they go into horse>silent.

anyway, i love this gumbo, i picked this show b/c i wanted those who havnt heard this gumbo to get a chance. the 1st set is up and down definately, but the stash, gumbo and crosseyed make up for it.   i think the 2nd set flows well, with good song selection.  i also picked this one b/c i was there and i figuered others here would be able to say the same.  this was a great tour, with lots of great memories.

[Hicks]

Aight, better late than never . . .

Set II:  Runaway Jim:  I don't usually dig it, of course there are a couple exceptions 11/29/97 and 12/31/95 being the most notable, this one was pretty standard.

Ghost:  It was good, as all Ghosts are, this one continued the theme of mellow groove.  Nothing really grabbed me until Trey started laying down those filthy loops at the end, and then it was over.  Oh well, straight into:

Izabella: This ripped as virtually all versions of this tune do, always a treat to hear.

Sleeping Monkey:  ugh, horrible placement IMO, this totally killed the flow of the set for me and I don't think it ever really recovered.

McGrupp:  P-A-G-E!!!!  I think that fact that this is a showcase for Page is a bit overlooked, and he absolutely shines on this one, almost had me thinking I was listening to one of Beethoven's piano sonatas for a second, he was that good on this one.  Love the tune, and it did what it could to save the set but instead we got:

Sample:  *Sigh, if only it had been McGrupp>2001, Sample I may have been able to rate this set higher.  Another misplaced tune and at an even more crucial juncture than Monkey.  At least the segue was smooth into:

2001:  Typical summer 97 version, which means funktabulous!  More solid work by Page, and Trey starts to heat it up at the end. 

Golgi, Frankenstein:  Two closers to try and make up for a somewhat disappointing set, no deal.

Theme:  I love this in the encore slot, and I'd say this was an above average version, very nice! 

Because of that I'll give the set a C+ instead of just a C, unlike the first set there was no unifying theme and the jam in Ghost was not good enough to be the set's lone jam vehicle especially when we're talking about 97 Phish.  In the end set 2 coughed up two decent (but not great) jams in the Ghost and 2001, McGrupp and the encore and that was it. 

I still love the first set, and will probably continue to just listen to that exclusively, so seeing as how we've got one great set here, I'll give the show a B for it's total grade, a straight average of the first set's A and last's C.  Thank you and goodnight.