I wanted to submit a bit of praise for this show. The first set is well played and features a great setlist, even though many of these songs have ceased being TOTALLY interesting in the opening frame (Possum, Julius, and even Moma...so sad). But let's not forget: they'd been back for just over a year here. At the time, I was delighted by how it unfolded. For the flubfree junkies out there, I recall this first set featuring very few, if any. Enjoy! Highlights include a pulsating Wolfman's and a solid Reba. Summer of '89 may not be the greatest song, but it isn't the cheesiest debut I've seen *cough*letmelie*cough*.

Got psyched for the Halley's set two opener, thinking positive improv thoughts, but then I remembered that this is 3.0 and not to get caught in that fantasy land. Disappointment averted! Light was still morphing into the dependable vehicle it is today, and this one alllmost got there. Not quite, but almost. Solid segue into Billy, and a grade A Billy it was. I didn't realize at the time how little stage time this song actually gets...I feel lucky to have seen it.

Tweezer was...okay. It was funky and very minimalist, even for this band, almost to the point that I couldn't take it anymore. Trey repeats a single little riff for much of the jam, and by the end it makes me antsy and annoyed. But the final 3 minutes or so are absolutely beautiful. They descend into spaceland...almost 2.0 sounding...and just vibrate and dwindle like the setting of the sun. Worth the wait, if you can handle Trey being painfully repetitive. Pensive, deep space gurgling and glacial drone await you, and the coda is exponentially better when heard in the context of the entire jam, rather than skipping right to it as I often do.

Absolute standout Theme follows, with Trey ripping it up in ways we perhaps have come to expect...but it was out of the blue, especially for a Theme, and totally worked. A much needed boost. Listen to it. I recall Hood being decent, and the set closed on a predictable note.

The encore...well! I enjoyed Monkey thoroughly, and loved the energy of Reprise live. But the second one was a surprise and even more energetic than the first, which I didn't think was possible. Again, one of those moments when you feel lucky to have witnessed it. Truly special.

To conclude, in the words of my fellow .netter Waxbanks: the show is "wonderfully inessential" - but well worth the listen.