From: Charlie Dirksen
4/9/94 Broome County Arena, Binghamton, NY (Rvwd 10/95) This is a very good show, folks, or, if you are cheap, just
get the second set. Fantastic Reba. The MikeS isn't good at all, but the H2 and Weekapaug are strong enough to still make this
an average Awesome version. The opening to this MikeS is standard. The tramps jam contains too much of the boring off-key
sustain crap for me to get into it. Nothing unusual at all. The segment ends around the usual time (5 mins) without much fanfare,
although the jam that preceded the ending segues into the post-tramps region (instead of changing into a post-tramps sortof
jam). By 6:15 Trey is STILL off-key sustaining and distorting while the others are STILL doing essentially the tramps-style jam
(Mike and Page not hitting much). At 6:50 the MikeS theme is there solidly again, with Trey doing some strange sound effects
periodically. The tramps segment is still basically going on (even though it really ended around the usual time, it started again!) at
7. Around 7:30 Trey finally starts raising Cain, even though the general style of this segment is like the previous (and typical)
tramps jam. Alas, he does nothing especially impressive (for him). The MikeS ending jam comes in clearly around 8:10.
Hydrogen segues in verrry early (what happened??) at 8:50 or so. I guess they weren't too thrilled with this MikeS, either!! Not
only was the MikeS short compared with most reviewed of late, it was basically one long dull tramps-segment-style jam. Just
not a very good version at all, compared with even the most typical MikeS from 93-95. No distinct jam sandwiched inbetween
the two MikeS theme jams. Hydrogen is a relief... Very excellently played. A precious version. Weekapaug kicks in about
11:43, and Mike's opening solo is ABOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! His opening is quick, snappy and funky as it usually is, but he
definitely hits more notes in this opening, and, generally speaking (as I always speak), Does More GOOD STUFF in this
opening solo than normal. The opening Weekapaug jam starts with sustain that almost immediately goes into Little Drummer
Boy jamming. Trey sticks with this theme solidly for awhile, but @ about 13:15 or so, he goes off and explores in an Ideally
Weekapaugian Fashion. BTW, the Little Drummer Boy jamming in here is dog food compared with the 12/28/94 filet mignon in
Phili (so don't get any ideas.. Phili hoses this cheese of a Drummer Boy jam off the counter). At 15:04 there's a Divided Sky
tease for 15 secs or so. This is mightily inspired, THIS WEEKAPAUG! Everyone jams with gusto, but Trey is definitely more
prominent than the others, wailing o'er the top (as well he should in Weekapaug! let 'im have an ego for a change!). At 15:45,
the jam goes into a steady groove (not quite what I've previously described as a "quiet mode", though -- this isn't at all spacey).
Page and Mike are prominent in this laid-back, balanced Segment of the Jam. The beat is still maintained by Fish (it is still a
fiery Weekapaug BEAT). Around the 17 min point or thereabouts, it sounds as if Trey does that 3-note twirling type of lick
(HEY!) that is supposed to compel the other band members to join in the groove in an improvisational fiiiirrrenzy. Didn't Trey
say something about this in an interview? I don't know. DAVE'S ENERGY GUIDE TEASE. Then Trey almost teases the Lone
Ranger theme (I forget the real name), before the Weekapaug theme jam comes exploding back around 18. There are some
weird RAY GUN effects from Trey (or something) in the closing minute. The final segment comes in at 19, and it gets quiet after
30 secs or so. Similar to recent versions reviwed, it is one of those vocal-jam sorts of endings to Weekapaug. Bluesy. By 20:15
it is clearly a vocal jam sort of event. At 20:30, Trey comes back in on guitar, and steadily everyone returns, and the
Weekapaug ends The Normal Way (although admittedly a little more sloppily than usual in this version). Total time 20:57. B-
rating (the Hydrogen is a B, Weekapaug is B+/A- material, but the MikeS is a C easy)