Aug. '93 was a historical month for Phish and, beyond argument,
ranks up there with the elite - ask any experienced and well-listened
Phish fan their favorite months, and more likely than not they'll
include 8/93, along with 4/92, Dec. '95 and, of course, Summer '97.
  Perhaps it is no coincidence that all of these historically
favored months of Phish are also key months in the evolution of
Bathtub Gin: 4/92 was when the song finally started to get loose and
really show some potential for jamming, 8/93 were the first break-out
jams, 12/95 had the monumental "The Real Gin" and Summer '97 had VA
Beach, Dallas and the Great Gin - three All-Star versions for sure,
two of which were pure PORNO-FUNK.
  With the start of a new fall tour that already shows great
potential, let's go back to the first of the two 8/93:

8/2/93 The Ritz Theater;  Ybor City, FL
   GinStats: Set I   Time: 11:13
 
  Opening chords start up on the heels of All Things Reconsidered - a
pairing that has only happened a handful of times, but which compliment
each other perfectly.  More ATR > Gins!!!

  Page jumps in at an early 0:10 -> 0:45   and, well, he's testing the
waters before he jumps fully into the bathtub, careful not to spill
his Gin Martini. Guys, you know when you're slowly immersing yourself
in water and you get right there, to *that* line?  And it's either
make a PLUNGE for it at this point, or else slow Chinese Water
Torture?  Well..that's the point Page is at, and it sets the mood for
where the band is for most of this version...
It's certainly a lovely Page intro though. Not as urgent as he often
is in this section, but rather he immediately sets out on a melodic
journey.

Lyrics Segment:  0:46

Page Fill 1: 1:21->1:40   Page continues with his laid-back melodic
                          journey and wet shorts.
     Fill 2: 2:16->2:25   Very laid back Rhapsody In Blue jamming.

FAUCET: 2:44   Once again, this whole version is VERY LAID-BACK.
Tight...just mellow, that's all.  Minimal botching...

SINGING W/THE FAUCET: 3:33  Smooth and twice as nice as Gin on ice...

WATER FROM THE FAUCET: Doesn't start till a late 5:00, proving my
point that this is a slow-tempo sloe Gin.  Kinda nice pace for it -
it feels like I'm trudging home stoned, deep in five and a half feet of
funk and three feet of snow.
  At 5:48 though the groove comes almost to a complete stop, everybody
seems a bit hesitant except maybe Trey who still wails out, note by
note, a little shaky but confident nonetheless. At 6:40 it sounds
almost as if this could be an Auld Lang Syne jam (it's NOT...but it is
extremely similar) and its beautiful caresses and rolling peaks
conjour up holiday images of climatic celebration.

At 7:48 there's a definitive return to the Groove, and by 8:00 they've
returned to the Classic Faucet Lick and already the CFL is winding
down, slower and slower like a music box on it's last wings...is this Gin
over already?  Ah, Fish starts hitting cowbells...and, well, it
must be something about cowbells because the rest of the band is waking
up again, at 8:34

8:40 Scent/Poor Heart beat kicks in..faster, now, faster...okay,
hold on everybody we're going faster..okay everybody just HOLD ON
NOW, DAMMMIT! IT'S GONNA BE ALRIGHT!!  Just hold on...please keep all
hands in feet inside the ride at all times, and there is absolutely NO
REASON TO PANIC!!  This bonanza-chase-in-Simpsons-land continues well
into 10:00 minutes, and takes on a very familiar duel-type
sound...there's no real "dueling" per-se, but Trey is almost egging
one on, as he chords a familiar quote.

  At 11:01 Mike starts up the Makisupa bass line and at 11:13 there's a
sudden shift and, abruptly now, the whole band has decided to grab on to
that bass line and we're no longer in the little field with all the
pretty flowers...instead it's Makisupa time in true segue fashion.
"Woke up in the morning...smoke a little herb.
 Woke up in the afternoon and I...."  Nice, Trey.

"BATHTUB GIN" REFRAIN: none.  Don't you get it?  There was none, okay?
:)

ENDS AT 11:13

Rating: 81 Proof

This is either a "trudging home stoned in three and a half feet of
funk and five feet of snow" or else a version to think of when you're
about to get your shorts wet as you s l o w l y decend into a tub (see
'Page jumps in' section).

All in all a pleasant version in the first set of an excellent show.
But I have a feeling that Gin wasn't the drink...or intoxicant...of
choice this evening for Phish. :)

Walk with light my friends,
Benjy