From: Charlie Dirksen
7/8/94 Great Woods, Mansfield, MA I chose unwiiisely. I was going to go to these Great Woods shows, but I had 7th row
center tickets for Floyd at RFK on the 9th and so I didn't make them. Very poor choice, upon reflection (Floyd was a good
time, of course, but considering the cost... not worth it). I did have a good time at the show yelling out some of the songs before
they were played (I had got the setlist from the net), and Gilmore glared at me.. Good opening to this YEM, plus a very
melodious pre-Nirvana segment with some precious repetitive noodling from Mike, and some typically spacey, ethereal licks
from Trey. No profound Vibration of Life, however. Nirvana at 3:15. And It Is Good. =^] I love this section.. never get tired of
it. Aaaaaaaahhh Page. He's not more active than usual or anything, but Mike sounds more active.. he really screws up the
solo-section intro, it sounds like (deliberately, I presume).. I think this sucks (i.e., nothing very melodious or inspiring... noisy &
depressing). Standard, great pre-charge jamming, and Trey wails away mightily on and around the first Note. Second shot at
the Note at 6:10 is beautifully and masterfully sustained by Trey.. just a flawless job. Page doesn't stop though, before the
charge.. doesn't stop on time. This is extremely unusual (but note that he did it just the other night at the Cow Palace show).
"Boy" at 6:44 after a high-powered scream from Trey. Fish appears to scream something during the WUDMTF segment
("Wash it!!" perhaps) twice... otherwise typical WUDMTF segment. Tramps segment begins at 8:56 or so, with Mike signaling,
and Page noodling away. Jam segment opens at 10:30 with Trey mellifluously noodling low on the 'doc accompanied only by
Fish (quietly). Page and Mike creep in QUIETLY after about 45 seconds (and the crowd starts clapping along). Groovy little
jam around 11:45 that steadily builds in intensity. Mike's accompaniment in here is quite engaging (Page isn't too busy in here,
though). Trey is still passionately soloing melodiously, until about 12:45, when he just starts jamming FRANKENSTEIN. A
spectacular segue!! Well, they play Frankenstein with dizzying passion.. Fish goes off for an extended solo before the somewhat
spacey effects-laden closing segment intro. An extended Frankenstein, given Fish's drumming. Frankenstein ends ALMOST as
it usually would... only it segues mightily at 17:51 back into a full-fledged YEM jam!! You really have to hear this segue.. so
perfect it sounds orchestrated! The jam segment is typical YEM for this final minute... well, in all fairness to other YEMs, this
jam pretty much dies out and doesn't climax well at all. It is actually quite a buzzkill after that excellent segue out of
Frankenstein.. just isn't at all profound. :( At 19 minutes, Mike and Fish kick out the Bass and Drums segment. Mike really
FUNKS OUT around 19:20, just sliding out some wet, phaaaat licks (and even teasing Frankenstein a bit around 19:50).
Closing WUDMTF segment at 20:06, and the vocal jam ensues at 20:24 as expected. No comment on the LONG vocal jam
(yawn... nice screamed out ending, though). Total time 25:04. I think the Frankenstein that occurs in this version is completely
Awesome, as are the segues around it! Given the YEMs I've heard, however, I strongly insist that this version is no better on
tape than a B Awesome. Contains very intense, melodic jamming, with lots of energy and creativity (but not necessarily all the
time). You may want to get a tape of it, and hear for yourself. I recognize and appreciate that a lot of people really love this
YEM. I think the Frankenstein is **EXCELLENT**, perhaps even my favorite version of it, but the YEM? No better than
awesome. In my opinion. two cents