YEM review - 11/2/98 E Center, West Valley, UT

Date: Sat, 13 May 2000 10:48:34 -0700
From: Charles Dirksen [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 11/02/98 Utah YOU ENJOY DARK SIDE
 
Thanks for the feedback on the Las Cruces Mike's Song from last Fall.
I hope to hear it soon (with your help of course, Dr. Paisley! you're
much too generous!).
 
What I've called in the past the "Nirvana" section of YEM (it starts
at 2:52 into the "A Live One" 12/7/94 version of YEM) -- which is the
charming section usually within the first few minutes in which Page
melodiously leads on the piano -- will thankfully no longer be called
that by me.  Ron Walkow (a friend of Ellis K's), calls this segment
"Snoopy." Why?  Because he pictures Snoopy dancing around on Page's
piano during this segment.  "Snoopy" is, of course, a much better name
for this segment than "nirvana", which I originally used because of
the awe-inspiring way I felt when I first heard it.
 
But 'Snoopy' is a much less sappy and much more goofy title than
"nirvana." And since this ridiculous title comports with the
OUTRAGEOUS GOOFINESS of critically reviewing Phish's FANTASTIC music
in general, it's an Excellent fit.  If you object to this change in
the title for this brilliant section of YEM, then PLEASE let me know
(but your objection must conform to the format requiremements of
appellate briefs pursuant to the local rules of the Ninth Circuit
Court of Appeals... or they will be unconsidered with extreme
prejudice).
 
Snoopy, though, must not be confused with the "Spooky" tune/melody,
which Trey has teased in YEM off and on;  see, e.g., 3/14/93.  Thank
you, Ellis K and Ron, for saving me from the embarrassment of
referring to this section as the "nirvana" section of YEM in the
future (now I can be embarrassed about calling it the "Snoopy"
section.. but I think this embarrassment will be more easy to live
with, since I no longer feel as much to blame).
 
11/2/98 E Center, West Valley, UT
 
Let's hear it for the Eeeeeeeeeee Center!
 
If you haven't heard this show, then you are really, really missing
out.  Missing out on WHAT!?  Missing out on one of Phish's Greatest
Coups.  They faked out fans and close friends alike.  They played the
god damn "Dark Side of the Moon" album (that's the one by PINK FLOYD)
at the very next show they played after 'ween in Vegas (where they
played the Velvet Underground's LOADED... sure, I know what you're
thinking.. the first Velvet Underground album would have been a far
better choice, since it is a MASTERPIECE of rock and roll history and
is a fucking WORK OF ART.. but at least they honored Lou by playing
LOADED, which was arguably more of a LOU REED album than a VELVET
UNDERGROUND album, but I digress..)
 
ANYWAY, for whatever reason, Trey is really sloppy in the opening of
this YEM.  But he gets a lot better in short order.  Spacey, very,
VERY unusually long pre-Snoopy segment (melodic tones sustained here
and there; nothing unusual at first).  Miscellaneous ya-hoo-ing from
audience members is very audible on the tapes.  A bit odd given the
lack of activity from the stage (but whatever.. blame it on the good
drugs, I s'pose). They really just snork around in this bewilderingly
long pre-Snoopy segment. It's not impressive musically.  Snoopy at
8:08.  Trey flubs a wee bit at first, but Page takes off on the piano
and plays beautifully, as always.  Mike's solo section at 8:52 sounds
chipper and content.  Even Mike isn't as smooth as he usually is,
though.  Trampolines are brought out during the pre-charge section
(listen for the roar from the crowd).  Trey flubs a chord in this
section, but otherwise plays as great as usual. Solid opening...
 
"Boy" at 11:30 after a great, crowd-asssisted scream.  This version
has the longest opening segment of any YEM that I've ever reviewed or
heard, for whatever it's worth ("FWIW").  BMGS/WUDMTF segment is
strong.  There's a lot of amusing vocal jamming/scatting from Trey in
this segment (once again; he did this occasionally in 1998).  More
than in any other YEM WUDMTF segment that I've heard.  Tramps jam at
13:43.  Page starts soloing on the the keys, as Fish pounds out a
solid YEM rhythm, and Trey and Mike hit the trampolines.  Page plays
really well, but nothing unusually over the top for him, IMO ("in my
opinion").  When Trey gets off the tramps, he starts chording along
rhythmically.  Kinda teasing "Moma Dance" with his chords around 15:50.
 
Jam segment basically starts at 16:15 or so, collectively.  It's
groooooovy, baby.  Very laid back.  No rock star action.  There's some
"stop and start" jamming around 18 minutes, with Mike soloing in-
between measures of collective playing.  Mike plays THAT RIFF again,
repetitively ("She's Got the Look" or whatever; which became the main
theme of the 11/9/98 YEM, fwiw). Mike is really smoking in this "jam",
but it otherwise ain't doing much. At 19 mins, the groove is still
very mellow and funky.. just Chillin'.  No fiery, rock star jamming.
Page tools around gently and melodically on the clavinet around
19:25.  No climax to this mellow jam segment at all.
 
At 20:17, Trey starts the vocal jam.  Average-weird vocal jam...
actually, really damn short.  22:39 total time for this YEM.  One of
the shortest vocal jams on record, I'd bet.. though not the shortest.
This is interesting given that this version features the longest
opening segment that I've ever heard...  Huh.
 
I have to give this version an above average rating, because of the
exceptionally long opening segment (longest *ever*, methinks), even
though it didn't do much of anything (and even though the jam segment
didn't do much of anything, either).  B/B+ rating.  But would I
recommend checking this show out for this YEM?  Hell no!  Check it out
for Dark Side of the Fucking Moon!  Even though they didn't perform it
flawlessly, so what!!  Phish covers DARK SIDE!  So check it out...
 
two cents,
charlie
 
p.s.  I'm very excited to hear FARMHOUSE, I must admit.. maybe I'm not as
jaded as I'd thought.  I've deliberately avoided trying to hear it in
advance (like you?).  If it's true that the band is really proud of it,
then WONDERFUL... and that might be the primary reason why there's so much
media attention to this album (when compared to previous albums)... but I
can't help but wonder whether all this media attention (and yes, dammit,
there sure seems to be a lot more media attention for this album than *ANY*
Phish album in the past.. at least that I've seen in the last 11 years) is
due to Elektra's effort to make this one The Big One... since they're
HISTORY after this album -- or are they?  I really have no idea..  I wonder
whether Phish will go Independent after this album... keep it all in the
family.. create their own label... what should they call their new label?



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