5/8/99 Oscar Mayer Theatre, Madison, Wisconsin
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 19:52:02 GMT
From: BenDRoss [email protected]
Subject: Trey: Drop the Pedals, and Just Play!!!
I saw the Trey show in Madison on Saturday night and overall had a great
time. The accoustic set was very nice, and some of the new accoustic songs are
really beautiful. The second set was great too. The new electric songs all
have really cool beats to them, and were very different from anything I've
heard from Phish.
However, I could not stop myself from wishing that Trey would just get
rid of those pedals and play guitar like he used to. Trey's had pedals as long
as I can remember, but it wasn't until 97 that he really started using them a
lot. At least that's when I noticed it....the wah-wah and difital delay loop
and what not.
However, at the show Saturday there was only one or two songs where I
could really hear that clean, clear 92-94 Trey guitar sound. I'm sure you all
know what I mean. If not, just pop in your favorite version of Mockingbird or
the Bathtub Gin from the Clifford Ball. For many of the songs I could barely
even hear a melody through all the distortion. And as for digital delay
loop......it's a little old already. It was really cool when I first heard it,
but it seems like now it pops up every single set.
I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the show, I just think that Trey should
kick back and let it rip on the guitar. He doesn't need all the tricks and
pedals to show how good he is. I know this is his first solo tour, and
obviously he is trying out new things. Afterall, if he wasn't constantly
trying new things and making risks, we wouldn't all be so obsessed with him.
I really like how of late Trey has stuck more to the rhythm end than the
lead (with Phish). It really lets the other band members shine. But sometimes
I wish he would just rip it up like he used to back in the day. I know that
Trey is very modest, but sometimes a talented musician needs to step up and
dominate. Imagine if Jerry Garcia had taken a step back and allowed Bobby and
the keyboardists more of a chance to dominate the jams.
Basically, I really like how Trey keeps experimenting, but I sincerely
hope this guitar style with all its crazy effects does not carry over into
Phish's summer tour. I know I'll get flamed for this one, but in my opinion the
best musicans (with obvious exceptions) don't need all of the effects to be
great. Trey is one of these musicians.
------/Ben\-------
--------/Ross\---------
"Vegetarians who eat animal crackers are hypocrites!!!"
-my friend Josh
"Big ten-kegger at the frat.....Or watching Jerry shake his fat"
-Ernest G. Anastasio III
Date: Sun, 09 May 1999 12:15:31 CDT
From: Steve Coleman [email protected]
To: [email protected], [email protected]
Subject: Madison Review, 5-8-99
OK...scene was usual, lots of people looking for tix, I saw a few get
in for the second set but I have no idea how...anywho, the pre-show...
We get in and aside from our awesome seats, notice that there's a
piano on stage. what the hell??? OK, whatever...special guest or
something?
So Trey walks out and starts a new tune about a Train, so I assumed
it was New Train Song...cool little tune, nice tempo, nice jam.
Purple Hugh was sick! Very very nice...don't remember too much of it
besides that I liked it a lot.
Farmhouse---Very nice. He was strumming it and nobody really got it
until he started singing. Very pretty.
Snowflakes in the Sand---Not sure on the placement of this, I thought
it came later in the set but I've been informed that it was fourth. Oh
well...it was pretty good, but not my favorite of the new ones.
Alumni---Oh yeah...he preceeded this one with telling us about how
his brother-in-law lives in Madison and said that this week is finals and
all the kids are skipping out to see his show, so he decided to do a song
about it...he started playing it, and oh man, I knew what it was right
away but didn't believe it. It's one of those things where you recognize
the chords off the bat and you're like, "ALUMNI!", but the odds are so out
there and you dismiss all possibilities...kinda like hearing a new
cover. The crowd all yelled the "HE'S ALLRIGHT!" and "CUZ I GOT A DEGREE!"
parts, but no Jimmy Page...who cares though?
Oh yeah---after the first three songs, Trey would just sit back and
smile, either they were tough new ones and he pegged them right or...Who
knows??
Billy---Trey gets up...End of set already? No....Ahh yes, the piano.
He sits down, What could he possibly be doing? He starts the song, oh man!
But yeah, he screws up in the first chorus and starts laughing. He then
tells a story about how Neil Young told him that if he's doing a solo
tour, he's gotta learn how to move around because people have
short-attention spans. Then he said thanks for being understanding. He
tried it again, he almost stopped in some parts, being very cautious. It
was still very neat to see, you could have heard a pin drop. Actually, a
lot of the first set was VERY quiet, which was very very cool. So he still
kinda screwed up, but then returned to the chorus and sang that a few
times and ended it. Back to the guitar, "I know how to play THIS!" You
sure do...
Mtns. In the Mist---Don't remember too much about this, but it was a
cool song, I do remember that.
Chalkdust---I thought this would be the end of the set, but oh no...a
decent Chalkdust, not as good as Higher Ground, IMO...it peaked a few
times at the end but never really had that full release of energy...was
still awesome though.
Circus---Trey quickly introduced it and started, very nice, no flubs,
just a nice tune.
Kissed By Mist---Introduced it and dedicated it to the woman in the
tree, it was cool but kinda dragged at the end, a tad long. But that's OK.
Fluffhead---WHAT??? COME ON!!! He started and I just screamed
FLUFFHEAD!?!?!?! Yeah right! So it was nice, and I think that Trey
was surprised NOT to hear all of the people yelling, FLUFFHEAD! with him,
but the crowd did pick up the "But he's sure got some powerful pills, OH
YEAH!" That got a smile from Trey. Very nice and the transition from the
end of Fluff skipping Travels was nice. Wow.
B+R---Not my favorite closer but what da hey??? It was nice.
First set was a little over an hour I think. THUMBS UP!
SET II---
Last Tube---This song just RIPPED! Trey used some effects at the
beginning, it was neat to see him kick the pedals around. He was so into
the effects that it looked like he almost fell over trying to tap too many
too quickly! Very nice, I remember the ending being VERY energetic,
possibly the hardest I danced all night. Very nice crazy lights at the
end. The ending of the jam was possibly the best overlooked jam of
the night...I didn't hear too much about it after the show!
Around in Circles---Don't really remember it too much, but it was
OK...I danced a little.
Jiboo---OK!!!! A big phat phunky Jiboo. So nice...Trey dropped about
3-4 loops at the jam segment, it was neat to see it from row 6. This
effort was about 15 mins. long??? They really stretched out all of the
songs. Decent funk jamming at the end with a few bass/drum stops and Trey
just at it with the wah-wah...nice.
"Further On Down teh Road"---Again, don't remember too much but I
think it was a bluesier song...and I love the blues covers. Just remember
it being sweet.
Mozambique---Nice version, LOOOOOOONG jam...10 mins. plus. It almost
dragged because it's not like Phish when you've got a progressive
Bowie or YEM jam, it's pretty much Trey and his shadow. Russ and Tony were
great but didn't improv all that much. They pretty much layed down the
song and Trey made them interesting. But a good tune nonetheless.
Ooh Child---The crowd really dug this one, it was standard, jam
wasn't all that long on the end. Nice.
Somantin--It was OK, I'm not the biggest phan of this tune but it was
neat to hear.
Alli Como Alla---NICE! Trey was doing the neck thing...the chicken
dance??? Nice tune, nice solos by Trey.
SAND---Trey introduced this as Sand, but it had the words silicon in
the ;yrics so it might be Silicon Fairy??? It was nice but sounded EXACTLY
like Last Tube, same exact bassline. Jammed out for at least 15 minutes,
pretty sweet. The jam dissipated and Trey bolts for the Drum kit, OH YEAH!
Drums---The whole Sand-->Drumz sequence was at least 25 minutes. What
a long jam...Drumz was sweet though, Trey didn't do anything spectacular
but just held his own. The other drummer had some nice solos and really
made it nice. Nice nice nice...
Come On #9 (Let the Good Times Roll)---I was psyched for this one.
Very good, very nice, everyone GRUVEN!!!
Bug---Trey says that this one is JUST bug, not wind or a bug, so
everyone should get out their laptops and take note. I think Trey turned
into a computer/internet junkee like us!!! That's fine by me though. The
tune was OK, but not one of my faves from the set.
Heavy Things---this was OK too, not the greatest but a good closer.
ENCORE---
Wind or a Bug---God, the bassline and Trey's guitar sound EXACTLY
like Makisupa at first, I thought he was teasing it, especially after that
11.6.98 Makisupa at Kohl Center. Wow...but it was Wind or a Bug, awesome,
AWESOME song! Very cool, the bassist (I get the names confused...) was
real cool with the words..."Is it the wind??? Or a bug?" Very cool.
Voodoo Child---Trey kicks on the wah-wah and my friend turns to me
and says---VOODOO!!! Yup...wow...sends chills down my spine just thinking
about it. Trey pegged it on the head and jammed it for about 10 mins. Nice
way to close out a show.
I know I missed some Trey Dialogue throughout the show, He was VERY
VERY chatty, but it was neat for a change. The show looks like one of the
better ones from the tour, but maybe that's just because I actually
attended this one.
See ya'll this
summer.
Steve
[email protected]
"Just use a little common sense
And don't abuse our land or our trees."
---Hookahville, Ekoostik Hookah
www.tapetrading.com/lists/p/h/[email protected]
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