Mikes review - 5/18/92 Flynn Theater, Burlington, VT

Date: Sun, 21 May 2000 13:55:33 -0700
From: Charles Dirksen cdirksen@earthlink.net
To: rmp@archive.phish.net
Subject: 5/18/92 Flynn Mike'sGroove
 
5/18/92  Flynn Theater, Burlington, VT
 
Thanks to Lance Parauka for hooking me up with this phaaat second set
tape. (it's one of those bass heavy boards from '92!)  Trey plays the
drum/cowbell-heavy intro to Mountain's "Mississippi Queen" before and
a little bit during the Love You, fwiw.  I wonder, like "Cold As Ice"
and "Hold Your Head Up," whether "Mississippi Queen" is another
classic rock tune that Fish hates.. ?  Fish plays one hell of an
amusing vacuum solo on his '67 Electrolux in this Love You, too.
 
Mike's Song > starts up immediately after TMWSIY Reprise.  It's an
unusually badass version for this period.  There's some great
interaction between Trey and Mike (he also does what Phil Lesh often
did back in the late 60s and 70s.. Phil would mimic Jerry about a
half-beat behind him or so.. here, Mike mimics Trey..).  Trey also
plays a strong melodic lead, and doesn't simply noodle around in some
typically dark, spooky way.  Page and Fish accompany the jam
excellently, too.  It's an unusually inspired Mike's Song.  They are
clearly playing it up for the hometown fans!  Some screaming
rock-star-Trey riffing, too! (6:04)  Excellent climax before the
tramps segment closing chords kick in at 6:26. The post-tramps jam
features nothing of merit, really.. they jam for a few measures, and
then stop on a dime, and then jam for a few measures, and stop.  And
this "jam" has a kind of plodding, marching tenor to it.. it ain't
melodic.. it's tough.
 
Mike's Song closing chords begin at 7:35, and Hydrogen starts up at
8:14.  Weekapaug starts up at 11:22, and Mike goes to town snapping
away.  Kickass opening!  Trey and Page come in about thirty seconds
into it, with the opening chords and vocals.  Mike snaps away
throughout this 'paug.. They all lock into this rather hypnotic groove
early on.  And when it starts wearing thin and getting too repetitive,
they launch into another jam, that rips!  Again, they are clearly
playing to a hometown crowd!  =^]  The jam around 16:10 is really
sweet for a few measures.  I kinda hoped this particular jam had been
carried on a bit longer, but Trey decided to riff in a rock star
fashion Elsewhere... This is a great '92 Weekapaug!  Closing chords at
17:42 ish.  Total time: 18:34.
 
This was a strong Mike'sGroove for 1992, for sure.. worth a B/B+
rating. If you want to hear some other excellent versions of
Mike'sGroove from 1992, though, check out 04/19/92, 11/28/92 and of
course 12/31/92.
 
wishing I were going to the RCMH shows,
and hoping to be able to read some reviews of the shows *soon*,
two cents,
charlie


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