Subject: Drinking Haverford's 2/23/90 Gin
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 02:10:48 -0400 (EDT)
From: benjy eisen
BathtubGinFiles #23 2/23/90 Haverford College; Haverford,
PA
GinStats: Set II Time: 6:20 A well circulated show from
an under-circulated year, yet this show is nowhere near "The Best Shows
of 1990" status. The Purple Haze and Low Rider teases in Suzy are swell
though... This Gin starts off as usual at 0:00 :) A strong guitar intro,
followed by a particularly snazzy Fish on the drums. Page jumps in at 0:14
-> 0:49 First on ORGAN (???) for a single note before he jumps head-first
into a very melodic chord solo, then goes into some very bubbly scales
and an ascent->descent followed loosely by Trey, and then switches back
to phat chords. This is, on all accounts, an unusual, unique and likewise
enchanting Page segment. Lyrics Segment: 0:49 Page Fill 1: 1:22->1:39 Continuing
his unique-streak, he plays this intro in a way he never has before. It's
zesty, it's chord-thick and it's extra gooey. Fill 2: 2:10->2:19 Okay,
Page may be teasing something here, something classical I think, but it's
NOT Rhapsody in Blue. I repeat, it is NOT Rhapsody In Blue. In an extremely
rare gesture, the Rhapsody is but a PHantom in this Gin, never once being
outright mentioned by Page... FAUCET: 2:34 For once, Trey comes in on the
perfect note, but it takes the band an extra half-beat to catch on. Once
they do though, this is a clean, almost flawless take on a section that
often is flawed. SINGING W/THE FAUCET: 3:16 Again, almost flawless. I just
came close to crediting 3:50 as being the "unannounced beginning to the
Water from the Faucet" since they certainly do fidget with it! They jam
some basic theme and then launch right back into the Singing. Around the
4:29 mark, right before the Water is about to shoot out, they start getting
silly with it... WATER FROM THE FAUCET: 4:31 with the typical water-call
from Trey as he slides the opening CFL note up the 'doc and begins tinkering
with the Faucet Lick from there. Some staccato tricks around the 5 min.
mark, Page chords in a yin-yang back-and-forth fashion, Mike funks away
discreetly, Fishman keeps the beat while Trey sustains and then begins
to slowly fall asleep... In the 5:30's somebody must have snuck Trey and
Mike qualudes as they start slowing d o w n. S l e e p y - n o t e s. "Like,
remember 'ludes dOOd?" "BATHTUB GIN" REFRAINS: begins at 5:35 in the sleepy
trend that Trey fashioned just seconds before. Mike sounds royally Tired,
as does Trey but Fish and Page keep things on the up. Trey definately starts
teasing something here, something that I know but damn me for not naming.
It's a generic tease, really. Anyone? At 6:07 Trey returns with a short
energy burst to the CFL, before losing speed again, and just before this
turns into an Amsterdam '96, he - ENDS IT AT 6:20 with an energetic "Bathtub
Gin" refrain. A few second pause before Jesus Just Leaves Chicago... Rating:
76 Proof The breakdown of this is basically a 70 Proof jam preceded
by a close-to-impeccable composed section. Since the jam is the meat (or
the Gin) and the composed section is the bread (or Vermouth), this Martini
Sandwich is raised to 76, a C/C+ grade equivalent. Walk with light my friends,
Benjy