From: Charlie Dirksen
7/14/94 Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center, Canandaigua, NY Ok opening
(not quite as tight as it could be).. the
pre-Nirvana segment is beautifully precious and spacey, until the crowd
ruins everything by clapping aggressively and poorly.
Nirvana at 3:04, and it is pleasant as always. Mike forgets to come
in or something at first, for his solo-section, and then just
makes some noises.. this is very odd, even for Mike. The trampolines
are brought out as usual in the pre-charge (huge audience
roar) segment. Very powerful pre-charge jamming, and Trey really wails
away around the first shot at the Note at 5:05. Second
Note is well-sustained at 5:49 or so. "Boy" at 6:22 after an effect-enhanced
blood-curdling scream from Trey. WUDMTF
segment basically standard, although Trey is very aggressive on the
'doc at its beginning (moreso than usual). Tramps segment
begins at 8:28 with Mike's signals and Page funking out on the clavinet.
Very groovy clav-action from Page, and Mike actually
snaps out some heavy licks at one point. An incredibly fantastic tramps
jam, frankly!! Lots of funky interplay from Page, Mike
and Fish!! At 10:17 or so Trey comes in noodling gently, but Mike and
Page are still funking away (not letting Trey jam quietly
with Fish!). Damn, this is very groovy.. Trey is melodiously noodling
in here, overtop an awesome, phaaaaaatly funky groove
that Mike, Page and Fish are laying down. Gets a little repetitive
around 12 mins, before one of those stop/start modes kicks in
around 12:20 or so (for about thirty seconds) -- still rather upbeat.
The Groove Returns at about 12:55 or so, and DAMN is
this YEM just magnificently danceable! =^] Trey is soloing masterfully
and delightfully (even if a bit repetitively around 13:40)..
and the accompaniment from the others just rages!!! YES!!!! At 14 minutes
the climactic closing jam begins, and it really is a
winner. It is so profoundly superior to the 7/8/94 YEM as to boggle
the mind!! An exceedingly dramatic close, with Trey
wailing away mightily!!! Just steadily but powerfully climbing that
damn 'doc! =^] Some great trilling in here, too, although not
too much!! B&D at 15:29, and like the rest of this YEM, it is just
sooooo damn DANK, folks. Just raging Mike and Fish (Trey
chords a bit for the first 15 seconds or so)... Mike and Fish are both
on fire!!!! Mike turns on some metallic/wet effect and
plucks his damn 'doc fiercely and funkily. Yeah!!!!!!!! He just doesn't
stop funking away!!! He's still going off around 17:30!!!!!
Put your ear to this, those of you impressed by Mike's prowess in the
Fall '96 YEMs.. Closing WUDMTF segment at about
17:56 or so. Vocal jam is very similar to 7/8/94, and just pretty damn
dull, in my opinion.. 23:06 total time. Well, I think the
tramps jam and the jam segment of this YEM were fantastic!! Shockingly
better than the other July 1994 YEMs!! A-/B+
rating. Too bad tapes of this show aren't that hot... two cents charlie