From: Charlie Dirksen
4/6/94 Concert Hall, Toronto, Canada (Rvwd 9/95) Damn, when Trey went
into this DWD, he really meant it! This DWD is
fairly hot, even though the jam segment doesn't go anywhere original
(Trey just wails). The opening of this MikeS is wholly
standard. The tramps segment starts out typically, and Trey comes into
the Mike & Page led groove as he usually does (calmly,
not doin much of anything). Unfortunately, this tramps segment never
goes into the official post-tramps mode (they probably
weren't even on the tramps for this..given Trey's cast/leg, naturlich
;). This kinda dull jam segues into a repetitive, silly, bullshit
mode that, ALAS, lasts for several minutes. At one point Trey sounds
like he's going to go somewhere with a theme, and the
whole thing actually changes key (which is VERY cool and extremely
rare), but the groove doesn't go anywhere. At one point it
sort of sounds like one of the 5/7/94 tweezer jam sections (which I
can't describe.. or at least I think it is from that version..
forget it.. kill me). This boring "jam" picks up eventually, thanks
to Fish (THANK YOU MOSES!), around 6:40 ish, but
contains very little Trey of any value, until around 7:30, when it
starts sort of sounding like the end of the tramps segment
MikeS. The jam is fairly hot at this point, after leaving the repetitive,
dull haze (around 7:50 or so), but not in any jaw-dropping,
get-this-at-all-costs sense. The MikeS theme ending jam enters noticeably
around 8:40 or so, and Trey jams this out longer than
usual (this isn't a traditional ending theme jam, though.. it gets
traditional in a few mins). The jamming in these final minutes really
isn't appealing, imo. Trey sounds like he is still feeling his way
through this version. It is not a "bad" version at all, in that Trey
starts sustaining in the upper octaves, and wailing rather nicely around
the 10 minute point, but, in comparison with the best of
'93 (2/20 and 12/30), this version is a spectacular disappointment.
The REAL final theme ending to MikeS comes in around
10:30. Unfortunately, it is kinda botched (the chords are, at one point),
but, oh well. Doesn't really hurt this version. Lifeboy
segues in around 11:15. I really love Lifeboy.. especially wedged inbetween
Mikes and Week (although I like Lifeboy better
than H2 in this position, I'll take Leprechaun or Great Gig anyday
over it..). This is the first MikeS -> Lifeboy-> Weekapaug
(there was a MikeS -> Lifeboy at the Murat on 8/13/93, but no Weekapaug..
wellll, I'm not counting the Weekapaug-esque
jam in the Gin). Weekapaug comes in around 19:20 or so, but doesn't
segue out of Lifeboy at all. This is actually not a -> by
any stretch of the imagination. There is also no Mike opening bass
solo. Trey comes right in there with Mike and Page, after
Moses initiates the standard rhythm. The jam segment (that begins after
the opening verse) is quite impressive, with Trey
jamming fiercely in the lower octaves. He is spinning around all sorts
of frets, and sustaining where he deems it appropriate. This
is a great, i.e., pretty standard, Weekapaug. Very well jammed, with
no "quiet" segment or curious grooves. Trey sustains on a
note for a bit longer than usual at one point, but he flogs the frets
energetically at other times. YIKES, WHAT IS THIS. Trey's
jamming just before the ending verse-theme-jam segment is a lot more
intense than normal!! Oh well. I spoke to soon. His great
jamming here doesn't forgive the MikeS, though. The ending segment
is sung "softly," akin to some versions of the past (incl.
12/30/93, I think). It also gets kinda funky, with OOooh-ing, also
akin to 12/30/93 (I really like the occasional bass licks Mike
throws in here). Otherwise, Week ends uneventfully, at about 26:14
or something. B rating.