YEM review - 7/7/99 Blockbuster Pavilion, Charlotte, NC

Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 09:36:55 -0700
From: Charles Dirksen cdirksen@earthlink.net
To: rmp@archive.phish.net
Subject: 7/7/99  Mike's YEM
 
7/7/99 Blockbuster Pavilion, Charlotte, NC
 
Does anyone else sing the lyrics to the VU's "Sweet Nothing" over
"Bug" (not over the "It Doesn't Matter" chorus or the closing jam, but
rather over the verses)?  Bug has an extremely similar chord
progression to "Sweet Nothing."  I'm not saying that Phish ripped off
VU, I'm just saying that they sound remarkably the same. ;-P  I like
both songs.  Bug really grew on me.
 
This YEM closes the second set, fwiw. I wonder how much energy they
have left in them.  Phish always amazes me with their ability to play
well late in gigs, when they *must* be tired (to speak nothing of a
seven and half hour set... !). Opening to this YEM is fine.  Trey
doesn't sound as tight as he often is, but no big deal. Pre-Snoopy
section is typically spacey.  Nothing unusual.  "Snoopy" at 4:27.
Trey doesn't play this too well, but Page's playing on the piano is
quite nice.  Mike's solo section is unusually melodic and uppity.. fun
stuff from Mike!  Big roar from the crowd suggesting that Brad brought
the trampolines out.  Pre-charge section is pretty strong.  Trey's
much tighter in this section than he was earlier on.
 
"Boy" at 7:58 after a strong scream.  BMGS/WUDMTF segment is cool.  A
little bit of scatting/vocal jamming by Trey.  Cool riffs from him in
here, too.  Tramps jam at 10:15 with a FAT CHORD from Page on the
hammond.  Trey and Mike are off the tramps after almost exactly a
minute (time it sometime.. they are almost always on the trampolines
hminute (time it sometime.. they are almost always on the trampolines
for exactly 60 seconds.. which isn't that surprising, since the jam is
in 4, and the moves on the tramps are in time with measures of YEM).
 
Extremely PHHHHHAAAAT Mike around 12:30.  Page and Trey very quietly
play in the background, and Fish pushes out a steady groove, but Mike
just tears it up! (13:06)  Trey plays a melodic theme softly in the
background, one note at a time, in a funky, rhythmically-attentive
fashion (a theme which reminds me of "Moma Dance" a bit)... while Mike
plays lead bass. (14 mins)  Groooooooooooovaaay.  I can't imagine too
many folks sitting still for this (14:41), even though it is pretty
repetitive.  Mike still plays lead bass in here (14:56), as Trey, Page
and Fish maintain a strong bottom in accompaniment.  The three of them
drop out, though, after another measure, and it is ALL MIKE for two
measures.  Fish, Trey and Page kick back in at 15:26 with what they'd
been playing when they'd stopped earlier.  They stop again after two
measures, and let Mike solo for another two measures, before the three
of them once again come back in at 16:03.
 
Mike is just tearing this YEM *UP*.  Taking it for strong.  This YEM
is all Mike, folks.  Christ. It's very repetitive, but so what.  It's
very unusual given that Mike leads the entire jam segment.
 
At 17:37, Trey starts singing/chanting the closing "WUDMTF" lyrics, as
Mike and Fish play on.  Page joins Trey right away on the lyrics.  It
takes a few measures for Mike and Fish to drop out.  By 18:14, though,
it's all vocal jamming.  Very melodic, musical vocal jam for the first
few minutes, before The Bizarre Noises begin.  Some shhhhhhhhhhheeeew
noises (which have appeared in other vocal jams).  Some scary
screaming.  Ends with harmonizing. Total time: 22:28.
 
Very unusual YEM, given the strength and prominence of Mike.  This is
MUST HEAR for big fans of Cactus Gordon!  B+ rating.
 
two cents (add your own),
kingmoron420
 


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