From: Charlie Dirksen
4/21/93 Newport Music Hall, Columbus, Ohio (Rvwd 7/95) The opening to this MikeS is straightforward. Oye Como Va
teases -- from Trey -- are there during the tramps jam segment, but he does a lot of off-key screwin around which, though
better than most pre-1993 MikeS, isn't that great compared with 1993->present versions. He has some groovy fills for sure,
but they can't make up for the distorted stuff (intentionally distorted and off-key, to be certain, but I just don't think it sounds
good). The post-tramps jamming is chaotic and raw, as it typically is, and off-key at times, with no theme present until the
pre-Hydrogen return-to-the-MikeS-theme-chorus jam begins. Ends at around 8:55. Great Gig segues in (well, not really.. Page
starts playing the piano intro after MikeS ends). Fish does the whole opening ("I'm not afraid of dying.."). God I love this tune.
Fish's screaming is very sound on this version. Weekapaug kicks in around 14:50. Mike's opening solo seems about 10
seconds shorter than usual, and so nothing especially mind-bending transpires. The jamming in Week is really strong, even
during the "quiet" section of the jam (which never gets completely silent.. well, at least in 1993). Trey hangs on a quick,
repetitive theme, and everyone just tools around. Mike plays a bass riff that sounds almost Makisupa-esque. Unity returns
around the 20 min point, and the jamming climbs in genuinely life-affirming splendor. Trey wails magnifiscently over the top of
everyone; a great ending to an otherwise good Weekapaug. This ending JAM is impressive, but the real ending isn't at all typical
(I spoke to soon). I don't know if there was a screw-up or what. The jam just dies -- mellows out. Just fizzles out in the last
minute (not the typical, tight Weekapaug ending). At the "end," Fish just kicks in the beat to Gumbo (which is screwed up a little
in the beginning by Trey, but gets a lot better.. what a set closer!). Anyway, total time on this MikeSGroove is a respectable
24:10. B-/B rating. Check out the nearly 10 minute Weekapaug, though (and the MikeS is long, too).