, attached to 2023-08-02

Review by spreaditround

spreaditround Possum: Nice, energetic Possum to open up this show. I particularly enjoyed Page’s solo. This is one song that they just can’t turn into a bliss jam and that is appreciated.

Guyute: Overall a clean version. Only two different slight flubs from Trey. Trey also sings the “I hope this happens once again” in that high pitched, annoying vocal register. All that said, this set is off to a good start.

Axilla (Part II) - The actual composed part of the song goes along as you would expect. Since the bust out at Shoreline in 2021, *most versions* are in the 5 and 6 minute range. This one has like 4 minutes of space that gets slightly dark and kind of evil. This segues nicely into… >

Energy: Trey really struggles with the first solo starting at 1:38. The struggles continue up until about 3:15 or so. There are spots where he kind of just stops playing and the rest of the band doesn’t sound that great either. However, around 4:45 this jam has a nice, dark undertones to it. By 5:30, this actually sounds kind of like an Undermind jam. This doesn’t’ last too long though, probably 30 seconds. From the 7 to 8 minute range Trey is going for that call and response type jamming with Page. By 10:40 Trey is crushing this and trilling like crazy and into a really cool peak. For the last 90 seconds or so they turn it into a fun funk jam and then that segues beautifully into… ->

Meatstick: Really cool jam the in the last two minutes and then the last 15-20 seconds or so you can hear Trey working distinctly towards a segue into… ->

It's Ice: Nice segue out of Meatstick! Sloppy mid-section from Trey and Page. Oof! At about 7:15 there is a Frankenstein tease. >

Blaze On: Has a few Meatstick teases here and there. Early in this jam it is effects driven and then fairly quickly transitions into an upbeat, cookie cutter bliss jam with many peaks. Solid way to end the set.

SET 2:

Cavern: To my ears, you really can’t hear what this is until about 1:45 when you hear a snippet of Cavern. From here is should be fairly obvious what is about to happen. Look, I really do appreciate that they are trying something different and trying something new. I am sure I would have been getting down to this hard at the show. But let’s be fair and let’s be honest about this – don’t compare this to the Island tour Cavern – it’s not anywhere near as awesome. They slam the ending of this hard into Carini – it’s a bit jarring. >

Carini: At around 9:10 or 9:15 or so once again I am hearing that Gloria in excelsis Deo tease. I heard it in Light and then a few other tunes so far this tour. This seems to get repeated a number of times and sort of is a theme that Trey latches on to and by 12:45 he is incorporating this into a peak. In the late 13’s there are some really pretty descending lines and then lo and behold about 20 or 30 seconds later this is getting pretty dark! It basically melts into Piper from there >

Piper: Like Philly, absolutely no intro – just right into the lyrics and this is the shortest since 2.24.22. Trey soliciting woos at about 5:35 – bogus. >

The Well: Doesn’t do much. >

The Howling: Such a lazy tune. >

Taste: Really bland. Trey doesn’t attempt to solo at all. Kind of like the framework of a summer 96 Taste almost. The ending is mangled by Trey. They need to practice this or shelve it. >

About to Run: Oof, needed much more in this slot.

Chalk Dust Torture: Pretty good jam but too little, too late. Bad set.

ENCORE:

Frankenstein: Keytar.

Slave to the Traffic Light: No patience, rushed through it. Stop disrespecting this song. Play it right or just play something like Loving Cup here.

Summary: Fun first set with two great segues and that Energy I would definitely recommend. That second set is – not good. Carini was though. But that is about it for me. I would rate this as a 3.7/5

Replay Value: Energy, Cavern, Carini


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