7-15-99 -- PNC Bank Arts Ctr, Holmdel, NJ
review submisions [email protected]
or [email protected]
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 23:13:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: j.c.
Subject: 7-15-99
This review is a bit late, but being that I am extremely bored and am surfing
some reviews, I have to just spill my beans. I have been to 41 shows and I
think it's about time to review a show. I was on tour for a lot of this
summer, and I was very upset with it's outcome. I enjoyed myself with my
friends, but as far as the shows go, I was very unsatisfied (with the
acception of Tuesday's Gone, Tweezer--> Have Mercy, and Icculus).
Why I chose to review PNC is because I felt that it was the lowest point of
the tour. When I was there I didn't enjoy myself, and I have the tapes and I
cannot listen to them. THE BAND WAS VERY OFF ON THESE NIGHTS! I don't get
why people don't understand that the band members are only human, and can be
"OFF". There are too many people who just get wasted and just assume that
every song was the "Best version Ever" I'm not saying that people shouldn't
get fucked up at shows, because it is fun, if your there for the right reason.
However, maybe people should go ahead and research their topic before they
consider this the best show ever. The first set was sloppy, and the second
set was horrible. Sure, KUNG is cool, I was pumped to hear it, but the jams
just sucked. I couldn't groove, and When I listen to the tapes, my friends
not familiar with phish will ask what is so great about the band. That's why
I recorded over the tapes. They're playing could not have been sloppier on
this night, and I definately declare this the worst show I have ever been to.
I LOVE phish. They are my all time favorite. I'm not doing a review on them.
What I'm doing this review on is the people who don't know what they are
talking about when they say that this was the greatest show. I know what a
good show is, I've seen plenty. This surely wasn't near good. Maybe the
reviews got to me because all of the people who reviewed this show were
probably the people who I saw giving High Fives, and hugs and screaming at the
top of their lungs when bouncin came on like it was a historical moment.
I've never seen a crowd react to bouncin like that anywhere.
If you are going to go see phish because you hear you get really fucked up,
save yourself the 25 to 30 bucks. There is somebody out in the parking lot
who wants to hear the music who can't because you hear you get fucked up. Do
that elsewhere. I'm sorry, but I have a lot of anger to vent. Let's keep the
scene the way it should be. Peace
J.
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 21:55:53 -0400
From: "Kresge, Matthew S." [email protected]
To: "'[email protected]'" [email protected]
Subject: 7-15-99 nj
I give pnc bank some credit. I experienced NO TRAFFIC either day. I
literally drove right into my parking space. I was there by 4:30 each day
but still, that's good. No parking fee either (unlike the 10 bucks at
camden). I've been waiting for them to play there again for over 5 years so
maybe i'm a bit biased, but the Garden State Arts Center(lets try to ignore
the corporate jargon) is in my top 3 venues. Anyway, the show:
PUNCH: good opener, unexpected.
GHOST: not a HUGE fan of this, but it was just what you want early in the
set- something with a nice jam to get us all orientated.
FARMHOUSE: another dime-a-dozen 3 chord song but it really was jammed
nicely. If I liked it, it had to be good, and it was.
HORN: always a nice gem.
POOR HEART: this song was never that big on my list,but what goes around
comes around because i love it now. As usual(but not always) it rocked.
They were on.
AXILLA: nothin' out of the norm.
THEME: i like this one. Nothing too outrageous, but nice
I DIDN'T KNOW: i am not a fan of the vacuum(anymore) but i really was
enjoying this. Maybe because the set was really good and it was sooo good
to have them back in nj.
SLOTH: icing on the cake(for me anyway)
YEM: it's been in heavy rotation, so this was one of the few predictions i
got right. I think they were going to hold off till set two because you
could see Trey saying "You want to do IT now?" Get the tapes. Iremember
Date: 21 Jul 1999 08:50:50 -0700
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: 7/15 PNC review
These were my 2nd and 3rd shows of the tour after Merriweather. I first must
say how impressed I was with the whole venue and environment at Holmdel.
Being from the west coast and visiting primarily west coast venues for
summer tours, I didn't know what to expect after my disappointing experience
at Merriweather. Much to my surprise, PNC is one of the friendliest
environments I've ever experienced during summer tours. I kept thinking
about how similar PNC is to Shoreline (Mountain View, CA), except
Shoreline's lawn is about twice the size. The sound was near impeccable;
tough to accomplish at an ampitheatre setting. I also assume there isn't a
curfew there, making the scene that much more relaxing while giving the Band
more room for experimentation. And maybe most of all, these 2 shows were
special to me because of what playing in jersey means to the band. We don't
get too much of that out west, so seeing phish at PNC is a lot like when the
Dead frequented shoreline. I also like a scene where the majority of phans
were just as into it as me, knowing the songs, etc. Sometimes out west
people are into the music but not hard-core freakish phans, so that aspect
was refreshing. The vibe there was similar to new years runs. And I met many
down individuals, restoring my faith in the topsy-turvy phish scene.
I think that song-by-song interpretations of live shows can be very
subjective; so much depends on where you sit (front row, lawn, "300
section"), who's around you (spinners, loud and drunk frat guys, group of
people e-ing, mello people there just to hear the muzic), and your personal
level of experimentation, if any. In terms of personal experimentation, some
of my favorite shows ever were standard shows in the eyes of the community
or on tape. So I like to look back and reflect on shows more generally based
on my general feel of the overall experience. 7/15 was an all out, in your
face, pure punk-rock & roll show. It was phish sending a message "although
we've changed soo much over the years and have slowed down a bit during our
new 'funk period,' we can still kick your ass and play longer and harder
than you can dance!" And they busted out some classics in the 1st set:
horn, stoth and axilla will be welcomed anytime! Fish can still belt-out
the vacuum chords and the tramps will be around forever. This show's
continued high-energy level reminded me a lot of the 12/30/97 MSG show, and
the punk-hard rock flavor reminded of listening to the 2/97 Cortamaggiore
show. I was utterly thrilled to hear one of my fave outdoor tunes, Theme.
That's just the perfect song to listen to as I dance on grass and feel the
wind blow. I thought the Kung>punk jam (as I call it) was one of the more
interesting jams I've ever seen which originated out of nothing. The jam was
inventive and rhythmically changing, making me lose my breath from dancing
so hard. Just when any song they played hit a minor lull, it was like they
consciously picked up the tempo to get people dancing again. Something
positive was going on with Trey and some guy/girl in the front row. They
wanted to prove how they can play any way they want at any time. For
example, I heard the Chalkdust at Camden was a floating and beautiful
version with not too much extrapolation. They had to play it again at
Holmel on purpose; why would they play 2 Chalkdusts in Jersey? Because they
wanted to show us their versatility and how far they've come musically and
as a band over the years. Then the encore was a another example of some new
phish creative songwriting (brian&robert) coupled with in-your face
hard-core jamming (frankenstein). An overall impressive show by my
standards, eased my doubts from the very slow-moving summer 97 tour. I used
to listen to 92-94 shows and say "man they don't play at this energy level
anymore. They're more mature now and they're not into playing crazy-hard
anymore." Now I think they enjoy that healthy balance of old and new, being
a 'punk-ass' sarcastic group and a respectable group of musicians who
collaborate with some of the best in the 'industry'-for lack of a better
word 8^) they remembered their roots and the phans who love them for the
style they used to play.
see 7/16 review page for the continuation......
Todd
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1999 01:30:30 -0700
From: Scott Sandler [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: review of 7/15/99
ok lets get this strai if you haven't been to over 50 shows or if you
listened to the Webcast --Please don't comment on this show!!!!
PYITE>GHOST>FARMHOUSE---thanks there could not be a better
opening---by the way---if anyone was in the GA lawn area and saw two people
running during Farmhouse---that was us we saved the lives of 2 kids that
took GHP and alcohol---and collapsed---we were running for the paramedics
for some help----got them ran back---found them----and the last I know is
that these strangers whose lives we saved were now being taken to the
hospital---on with the set---Horn I know this is personally one of Trey's
favorites-----theme> Ididn't know> SLOTH ----lots of fun up to this p[oint
it felt like they were just throwing a big party----they
were---YEM-----comparable to 12/9/95(albany) outstanding ending over a
1:35 min set.........
2nd set
ok...this was one of the more unique and special sets---once you
have seen the band a number of times--you learn to appreciate they're open
freeform jams------Meatstick---was fun----we all learned a new
dance-----SOAM---I love this song it has such a funky rythm but they kinda
left it way early---then found their way to kung---This is so rare One must
appreciate when it happens------BATR(one for thew Kiddies)---and then one
of the best CDT I have ever heard--live over 20 and who knows how many on
tape----I've even heard it since then---it may truly be the best overall
CDT----
I new B and R was a set up for the real Encore of
Frankenstien-----thanks guys tonight was one unlike any other show---like a
typical 2001>mikes>H2O>Weekapaug opening to a 2nd set---piper
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999 01:34:17 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 7/15/99 review
i have never written a review of a show b/f, even though after oswego, i've
seen 27 shows. and i'm still not going to comment on the entire show, just
the controversial (and soon to be more so once tapes start circulating) SOAM
> Kung > Jam (and the Ckalkdust; i feel it needs to be defended).
SOAM > Kung > Jam : Fish started out with the 2001 drumbeat, everybody got
real excited, and Mike broke in with the SOAM bassline. it was weird, but it
went together, and the band continued to play this tweeked version, with
fish continuing the 2001 drumbeat. trey was a little sloppy with the
composition, but the tempo was right on. in the jam b/f Kung, the band
switched seamlessly between the SOAM rhythm and a 4/4 (2001) jam. then the
madness that is kung happened with the 4 of them just creating a wall of
noise. after kung, they fell back into the seamless tempo changing jam. it
was the most awesome i have ever seen the band. the four of them were in a
zone where they could do no wrong.
Chalkdust: first of all, i am really happy with what Phish has been doing
with this song lately; the camden chalkdust, while not as good as this one,
was (at the time) far and away the best chalkdust i have ever seen. this
version blows it away, with the band creating an enormous amount of tension,
almost to the point where you think there can be nothing emerging but
ambience, and then coming in at the same time to RAGE chalkdust, and
repeating, and repeating, for almost 15 minutes of absolute insanity.
This set, IMO, was the best i have ever heard the band. The 4 of them were
in a beautiful zone where they were as close to perfect as any 4 men can be.
Get the tape, form your own opinion!
Peace!
-Brendan
Date: 17 Jul 1999 15:06:27 -0700
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: PNC 7/15 & 7/16 Review
These were my 2nd and 3rd shows of the tour after Merriweather. I first must
say how impressed I was with the whole venue and environment at Holmdel.
Being from the west coast and visiting primarily west coast venues for
summer tours, I didn't know what to expect after my disappointing experience
at Merriweather. Much to my surprise, PNC is one of the friendliest
environments I've ever experienced during summer tours. I kept thinking
about how similar PNC is to Shoreline (Mountain View, CA), except
Shoreline's lawn is about twice the size. The sound was near impeccable;
tough to accomplish at an ampitheatre setting. I also assume there isn't a
curfew there, making the scene that much more relaxing while giving the Band
more room for experimentation. And maybe most of all, these 2 shows were
special to me because of what playing in jersey means to the band. We don't
get too much of that out west, so seeing phish at PNC is a lot like when the
Dead frequented shoreline. I also like a scene where the majority of phans
were just as into it as me, knowing the songs, etc. Sometimes out west
people are into the music but not hard-core freakish phans, so that aspect
was refreshing. The vibe there was similar to new years runs. And I met
many down individuals, restoring my faith in the topsy-turvy phish scene. I
think that song-by-song interpretations of live shows can be very
subjective; so much depends on where you sit (front row, lawn, "300
section"), who's around you (spinners, loud and drunk frat guys, group of
people e-ing, mello people there just to hear the muzic), and your personal
level of experimentation, if any. In terms of personal experimentation, some
of my favorite shows ever were standard shows in the eyes of the community
or on tape. So I like to look back and reflect on shows more generally based
on my general feel of the overall experience.
7/15 was an all out, in your face, pure punk-rock & roll show. It was phish
sending a message "although we've changed soo much over the years and have
slowed down a bit during our new 'funk period,' we can still kick your ass
and play longer and harder than you can dance!" And they busted out some
classics in the 1st set: horn, stoth and axilla will be welcomed anytime!
Fish can still belt-out the vacuum chords and the tramps will be around
forever. This show's continued high-energy level reminded me a lot of the
12/30/97 MSG show, and the punk-hard rock flavor reminded of listening to
the 2/97 Cortamaggiore show. I was utterly thrilled to hear one of my fave
outdoor tunes, Theme. That's just the perfect song to listen to as I dance
on grass and feel the wind blow. I thought the Kung>punk jam (as I call it)
was one of the more interesting jams I've ever seen which originated out of
nothing. The jam was inventive and rhythmically changing, making me lose my
breath from dancing so hard. Just when any song they played hit a minor
lull, it was like they consciously picked up the tempo to get people dancing
again. Something positive was going on with Trey and some guy/girl in the
front row. They wanted to prove how they can play any way they want at any
time. For example, I heard the Chalkdust at Camden was a floating and
beautiful version with not too much extrapolation. They had to play it
again at Holmel on purpose; why would they play 2 Chalkdusts in Jersey?
Because they wanted to show us their versatility and how far they've come
musically and as a band over the years. Then the encore was a another
example of some new phish creative songwriting (brian&robert) coupled with
in-your face hard-core jamming (frankenstein). An overall impressive show
by my standards, eased my doubts from the very slow-moving summer '97 tour.
I used to listen to 92-94 shows and say "man they don't play at this energy
level anymore. They're more mature now and they're not into playing
crazy-hard anymore." Now I think they enjoy that healthy balance of old and
new, being a 'punk-ass' sarcastic group and a respectable group of musicians
who collaborate with some of the best in the 'industry'-for lack of a better
word 8^) they remembered their roots and the phans who love them for the
style they used to play.
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 1999 21:54:37 -0400
From: "Kresge, Matthew S." [email protected]
To: "'[email protected]'" [email protected]
Subject: 7-15-99 nj
I must give the Arts Center (lets keep away from that corporate jargon)
credit. I experienced NO TRAFFIC!! I did arrive by 4:30 each day but that
is still good. No parking fee either, plenty of shade. Maybe it's because
I've been waiting for them to come back for over 5 years and I'm biased,but
the GSAC is in my top 5. Anyway, the show:
PUNCH: good energetic opener, unexpected for me
GHOST: not a big fan of this one, but this is exactly what i was hoping for-
a nice jam to set the mood and get us all orientated. It was good
FARMHOUSE: not a big fan of this dime-a-dozen 3 chord song, but that was
then. They jammed it soooo nicely, i am ready to hear it again.
HORN: i always like this gem
POOR HEART: this one has grown old for me over the years, but has now
resurfaced as a favorite. This was HOT.
AXILLA: nothin' out of the norm
THEME: ditto, but nice
I DIDN'T KNOW: the vacuum doesn't do it for me anymore, but for some
reason, I was lovin' it this night. Maybe because the set was turning out
very nicely(one of my favs) or because they were back in Holmdel. It always
entertains the new fans. Just remember, we were all newbies at one point.
SLOTH: icing on the cake
YEM: with it's heavy rotation, i actually called this one and got it
right(I'm not very good at that, especially with all the songs they have
now). I think they were going to save it for set 2, because you could see
Trey say "do you want to do IT now?". Get the tapes. I remember it being
very good.
Overall, one of my favorite sets to date. I felt a good vibe my way, so for
those of you who thought different, maybe that's why.
SET 2:
MEATSTICK: ridicule me(if not only for my spelling), but i thing this whole
meatstick thing is kinda goofy. From the respose of the crowd, there must be
many who agree because not too many people around me were doing it.
I got a laugh out of it, but that's about it. The song is kinda catchy
though, although i am REALLY growing tired of these 2 and 3 chord simple new
songs (read my camden review and feel free to email me. I'm always up for
some debate)
SAOM: now here is where i differ from most of the reviews and a lot of my
fellow fans. There is NO DOUBT that fish and trey were ready for 2001, but
suddenly mike busts in with the fat soam baseline. As noted in a few
reviews, this DEFINATLEY threw trey off, as he flubbed his opening guitar
part. I feel the band NEVER recovered after this. Let me tell you why-
Trey was sloppy through the whole composed part of the song (listen to the
tapes if you don't agree...you'll see). During the "we breathe..." part,
Trey started chugging in with his guitar ready to bust into the "melt, split
open and melt"
BEFORE the "between beams" part. THEN, when they entered the jam, which
usually contains that odd time, Fish just did a plain ond 4/4 time. Has that
EVER happened? Trust me, they never hit it this performance. I don't know
what the other reviewers were thinking, but the band was surely lost. To
back up my theory, during CHALKDUST, Fishman started speeding up and slowing
down the beat like someone playing with the speeds on a record player. Then
after the very incoherant jam, when they bust back into the "who can
unlearn.." part, the beat was SOOOOOOO fast (you have no idea if you were
not there which is why i am telling you) that the whole band stopped playing
except for Trey. No drums, bass, or piano. They really did lose it after
the flubbed 2001(which was great the next night. Gee, i wonder why they
played it?!)
Anyway, the 1st set rocked, the 2nd set (except for the FRANKENSTEIN) left a
lot for me to be desired, But, hey, everyone is different. Get the tapes
and judge for yourself. I know these reviews can be boring so thanks for
sitting through mine.
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1999 22:30:52 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: 7/15/99 Review
Hey...first of all I'd like to say that veteran phans after this show were
saying Set I was one of the greatest first sets they've ever heard, and many
a-fan were saying that Chalkdust was the best ever.
Also, Mike's base at times was sooooooo soupy like it is at the intro of DWD.
it sounded so phat like that.
Anyway...here are Dave Salvo's thoughts about the show.
PYITE: not expecting it at all so I thought it was chill. The boys seemed to
be having a grand old time especially Trey who was playing so close to home.
Out of the Digital Delay came a segue into
-> Ghost: I was very happy to hear this. I was also thinking that this
sounded a lot like the beginning of a sweet Set 2. This Ghost never really
climaxed, but started out funky, then built into a kind of heavy jam which
ended on Trey sitting on a D Power Chord. A fine Ghost, although I know many
will say it wasn't one to remember. I liked it.
Farmhouse: Man, I had a feeling they'd play lots of Merriweather tonight. 2
out of 3. This Farmhouse was better...the jamming was longer. I still like
the old version better.
Horn: Man, this was beginnning to be a really really good set. The beginning
sounded a little bit different then usual, but probably not considering it's
a composed piece.
Poor Heart: Probably in the top 5 of Phish songs I like least, but NOTHING
was bringing me down now. I actually enjoyed the shit out of this song, Page
was nuts, and they seemed into it. They were into it the whole night...
Axilla: What a great time to liven things up, see some idiot get booted for
getting up on stage, watch Trey give us the head bang signal, and go nuts.
Stretched out Axilla II ending and out came the opening drum beat of...
Theme!!!!!!! As soon as Fish started playing the beat, I screamed Theme over
and over. My section (101...Row T Seat 12) looked at me like I was
crazy..finally the caught on and went crazy too. The first of the tour, and
a sweet one at that.
I Didn't Know: My friend wanted to hear this more than anything in the world,
and I told him they wouldn't do it twice in one tour. Ok, I was wrong. This
was fun. I love being close to the stage and watching Fish take a vacuum
solo.
The Sloth: Another tour first. This started out slow and funky! I enjoyed
it, this song is definitely a rocker. Looked at my watch and thought "man,
the Sloth as a set closer???"
YEM.....................oh boy, oh boy. This was it. The icing on the cake to
one of the best first sets to date. A little sloppiness by Trey on the
intro, but then it got tight. The jam started out funky and thought it would
be a cool mellow jam like 12/29/97. Then out of nowhere it began to get
heavy, and Trey just started wailing so bad my ears hurt. I mean, I've never
heard a jam climax so many times. It was a giant multiple orgasm.
RAGING.UNRELENTING. NUTS. My adjectives of the night. The vocal jam sounded
composed even, with CK5 rotating the lights in time with the boys.
I give this set a 10 hands down...my first time I've ever given a set a 10.
Looking forward to a sweet as Set 2.. I wasn't disapointed. Set 2 reminded
me of a Fall 97 show with lots of jamming and 4 or 5 songs. SWEET!
Meatstick: Didn't expect this; thought we were getting it later in the set.
Trey tells the crowd about world record, Oswego, Dance, etc. and Sofi (who is
damn good looking) come on stage again (see Merriweather). The jam out of
Meatstick was chill. A tight little jam, pretty spacey. Just when Fish kicks
the beat to 2001 and I go nuts, out comes.
SOAMelt: Which I didn't mind! It didn't drag on, and during the jam (in
which Fish kept switching the drum beats from double time to funky), Trey
started to sit on a G Power Chord. I felt it in my chest. Out of it comes
what could be a once in a lifetime experience....
KUNG!!!!!!!! STAND UP!!! Oh yes, we all did. This was out of the blue, and
made my night. Out of Kung come a 97-esque jam with tons of space (Phish net
says Shine and Meatstick teases but I didn't catch on). Anyway, the crowd
sucked. Most just sat down. The boys probably realized this and played
Bouncing: Which I didn't mind at all. I know many of you probably think "THIS
RUINED THE SHOW!" but not me. I liked it.
Chalkdust: Holy shit! Again, another exploratory Chalkdust with a fast fast
fast, loud loud loud, wailing jam (a la Antelope)> It got even disjointed in
the end, but it was so loud it didn't matter. Not the typical jam ending of
course and Trey stops and sings the chorus by himself. What a way to end the
set.
I give the set an 8.
Encore"
Brian and Robert: I was too mesmerized to dance. I stood shaking my head
thinking "they better play another song." How is this an encore? I don't get
it. I was gonna cry if they left such a great show hanging in the balance
with this. But I knew they were gonna do something kick ass and heavy after
this. (BTW, glowstick war in this song)
the tour's first...
FRANKENSTEIN: Go out with a bang.. the way I like it.
What a night. That's all I can say. Set 1 was my favorite set of the shows
I've seen so far. Great stuff.
7/16 was chill too. I'll review that later.
Peace,
Dave Salvo
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 16:33:06 -0400
From: Richard Burke [email protected]
To: [email protected]" [email protected]
Subject: Phish at PNC Bank Center
I don't normally write reviews but had to comment on this. I am 54 years old
and went to my first Phish concert last night. I have seen everybody play;
Hendrix at the Whiskey A-Go-Go, Allman Brothers (when they were all alive),
Dead (mucho times), Bella Fleck, Stones, Zappa, Clapton, Little Feat (when
Lowell George was still alive), Santana, etc. etc. The concert last night
ranks with all the great ones I have seen. I expected these guys to be good, I
have been buying their CDs and listening to them for years, but they blew me
away. It was the best jamming I have ever heard from a four piece band. Each
one is a true master of their instrument and they can sing, but more
importantly they really seem to be having fun and it is contagious.
They feed off the crowd and the crowd off of them, what fun. It was also fun
to be in the crowd. I saw Dave Mathews earlier this year and the crowd really
pissed me off. I really thought, maybe I was "too old to rock and roll"
anymore and I certainly don't own any Abercrombie and Fitch clothes. The
Phish crowd just felt like home. When Fishman played the vacuum cleaner, I just
cracked up. I didn't feel self conscious at all about being one of the "old
rockers". The light show was also incredible and totally in synch with the
music so it added to the experience. I read the other reviews and smile, I
certainly can't comment on how good or bad they where (I couldn't even do that
for the dead) and you know it really doesn't matter, they were great and the
crowd was great and the music was incredible. There was one other "old rocker"
sitting behind me with his daughter. He was wearing his Grateful Dead shirt
(like me) and talking about how much better the "old" bands were. I was polite
but couldn't help but feel sorry for him. I was just happy that the current
generations have "music weavers" like we did and have the opportunity to get
together in peace and get lost in it. I was also glad that I can still be a
part of it and filled with hope and gladness that the music never stops.
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 9:42:25 -0700
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Cc: [email protected], [email protected]
Subject: REVIEW: 7/15/99 Holmdel
This was my 8th show, and probably the most intense one I have seen. It was on
the verge of becoming one of the all-time greats before fading at the end.
Still, Trey remarked during Meatstick that this was a "special show" for him
and Page, who grew up in NJ, and special it was indeed.
Traffic was much better than expected. I breezed into the lots at 4:30 and
walked around until showtime.
Set 1 - band emerges at 8:03, after a few idle chugs on the guitar Trey
starts...
Punch You in the Eye - Excellent. Been dying to hear this one again since my
first show, 5/2/93. This is a song that I never get tired of. Standard version,
which is to say outstanding. Instead of slamming to a stop as usual, they go
into a feedback jam, and then Trey starts the digital delay loops and segues
into...
Ghost - YES! I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it on
12/2/97, and I've been pining for another one ever since. This Ghost, like the
best ones, was all about Mike (except 11/19/98, which was all about Page). He
laid down the bass lines thick and fat, and paced the song part of the tune
with urgency and insistence. Then for the jam, they locked in sync and kept
grinding, grinding, grinding, taking the tempo up a notch every few minutes - a
perfect syngery between funk, rock and noise. The band kept setting up Trey to
take a big classic-rock solo, but he kept responding with "What's the Use"-like
feedback noise instead. Finally, when they just couldn't get any faster, he did
take a solo, but he pulled back pretty quickly. It was pretty apparent why - he
wanted Mike, who had been the star of the jam, to take a solo. Mike did, and
then the jam faded out into...
Farmhouse - excellent song, excellent placement. The new intro was very brief
but sweet. Trey played a pretty long solo, full of Clapton-like grace.
Horn - By this point I think they're reading my mind. Four of my 20 or so
favorite Phish songs already. This version seemed heavy (in the guitar and
organ) but light and flexible (in the bass and drums) at the same time. Another
beautiful solo from Trey.
Poor Heart - enough of the mind reading, I hate this song. But this was a
particularly manic version, taken to another level by Page during his frenzied
piano solo. If they have to play this, this is how I want it played. Another
example of how much extra effort they seem to be putting into the "routine"
songs this tour.
Axilla - Yet another favorite of mine - this is getting creepy. This was a
no-holds barred BIG RAWK blast, which is what this song has always deserved.
(Another example of their newfound ease with arena rock.) One of the best
versions I've heard. The "don't shine that light in my face" jam faded
into...
Theme from the Bottom - another personal favorite I've been dying for. Standard
at the beginning, more bubbly than usual at the end thanks to Page, sweet as
always.
I Didn't Know - another one I haven't seen since my first show. Fishman's
vacuum solo was quite flatulent - the first two-thirds of it were essentially
one long note, then he actually tried to play a melody before retreating. The
post-vacuum vocal gymnastics were particularly impressive.
I figured we'd get one more big blast, so I was surprised when they
started...
The Sloth - my first. Appropriately heavy (EVERYTHING in this set was heavy),
but not fast or raucous enough to be a set closer. They can't end with this, I
thought, they just can't.
They stopped, and Trey took a few steps back. I was afraid he was going to
leave the stage, but apparently he was just telling Fish to go into...
YEM - Wow! I won't attempt a minute-by-minute review, but suffice it to say
this version was simply mindblowing. Better than most I heard last year. After
the tramps part was when the real action started. Each of them were playing
lightning runs, sometimes in unison, sometimes chasing each other, never losing
the groove, going faster and faster. Imagine a family of bunnies who dart
around a field, in and out of holes, jumping over each other, but always
knowing what the others are doing and always sticking together. That's the
vision I had from this jam. Rarely have I heard them build this kind of
momentum. It got so frenzied that they skipped the final "washa uffizi" before
the vocal jam and just went right into it. I have never heard a more seamless
transition into a vocal jam, nor a vocal jam that so closely resembled the
instrumental jam that preceded it. They continued with the relentless momentum,
only now they sounded like trains on a track. Then the vocal jam took a more
moaning tone, and a series of thin white lights were revolving in time to each
bleat. It looked like something out of "2001: A Space Odyssey."
At 9:37 they left the stage. They had to. There was no topping that.
This was by far the best 1st set I have seen. Not only were 8 of the 10 songs
among my most personal favorites, but the intensity and syncopation were
unmatched. This was the kind of set that only a band who has been together for
15 years can pull off. It clocked in at an incredible 94 minutes - we'll need a
100 min. tape for it!
As with Camden, setbreak was extremely long, 48 min. Which was just as well,
considering the line for the men's room.
Set II - back out at 10:25 to lay out a thick groove called...
Meatstick - I figured we would get this on the 16th instead, as they'll want to
keep the dance fresh in our minds for Oswego. The sheet they passed out before
the show did me no good. I can do the clapping and the "shock my brain" part,
but I'm just hopeless at the rest.
Nonetheless, I was dying to hear this. When I first heard it on the SOTG
outtakes, I thought - they have another Tweezer on their hands, and they don't
seem to know it. I'm glad this is getting good exposure now. The groove was
tight and funky, even after Trey and Mike put down their instruments to do the
silly demonstration with Sofi. Then they got some very tight and thick ambient
jamming out of it. Very satisfying.
As it wound down into space, it sounded like Trey and Page wanted to start up
2001. Fish's picked up a drumbeat that sort of sounded like it, but it was hard
to tell. But I was very surprised when Mike started playing the bass line
to...
Split Open and Melt - still, this was fantastic. I've never heard a version
remotely like it. It veered away from the usual lead-guitar runs and wa built
around funky rhythm guitar playing from Trey and atmospheric coloring from
Page. Then it started to get real spooky, like the middle part of the Mike's
Groove on Slip Stitch & Pass where it sounds like they're about to go into "The
End". Then, what's this, a chant?
Kung - This was possessed. It is indeed a very special show when they break
this out. I've never heard them so emphatic with it. Then, instead of stopping
or fading away, a jammed Kung? Well, just a...
Jam - in case you were wondering whether they still do "Type II" jamming, well,
here it was. This was as intense as anything I've heard from fall '97, when
they were at their most intense. Words cannot describe what they did here. It
got so far out into the stratosphere, and so far away from conventional music
as we know it, that people stopped dancing and stared at the stage, either in
amazement or in confusion. This jam is for the serious musicologists. It is not
for the happy-time folks. Some will love it, some will hate it.
All the pieces were in place to cement this show as one of their best
achievements. All they needed was to deliver a knockout punch - Antelope?
Bowie? Mike's? Instead we get...
Bouncin' - ARGH! I understand they had lost the dancers and the
party-atmosphere people with the last jam, and needed to bring them back with a
popular uptempo song. And with Bouncin', they did - the crowd went nuts. It was
a huge buzzkill for me. I don't mind it usually, but not when a show is on the
verge of greatness. After the show, one guy says to me "that was the
best-placed Bouncin' ever!" I held my tongue, and mentioned how they used it in
a similar way on 12/2/97. But in truth this may have been the worst-placed
Bouncin' ever.
Still, I figured Bouncin' was a setup for the big knockout blow. Trey looks off
to the side and motions to someone. Is he bringing on a guest? No, it appears
he's taking a request, and...
Chalkdust - ARGH! Don't get me wrong, I figured this would be pretty good
because of what they did with it in Camden. And it was. They smoked the shit
out of it, even though they didn't take it to the stratosphere like they did in
Camden. Trey went wild, jamming it far longer than a usual Chalkdust. (Although
I think the boys are about to redefine what a "usual Chalkdust" is.) It was a
fine set closer. But it was not what was needed to take this show from "above
average" to "all-time classic."
They left the stage at 11:31, after a too-short 66 minutes.
This was certainly the strangest second set I've seen, maybe even the strangest
I've heard. It would almost make more sense reversed - Chalkdust, Bouncin',
SOAMelt > Kung > Jam, Meatstick.
One kid next to me said to his friend: "I don't believe it! The first set was
amazing but the second set sucked!"
The second set did not suck. It was, for the most part, quite good. But it was
held to a very high standard after the first set, perhaps impossibly high, and
it could not measure up.
At 11:35, they returned for the encore. Who knew what to expect, after the
madness that had come so far?
Brian & Robert - not that. "Oh Shit," I said audibly. Again, not a bad song,
but not appropriate as an encore for a show vying for historical significance.
Oddly, a big glowring (not glowstick) war broke out, perhaps because people
realized we wouldn't be getting "Hood."
There had to be one more adrenaline pumper, and we got
Frankenstein - this was more like it. This was a slam dunk of a version.
Emphatic and forceful, with a bit of pizzaz. The crowd went nuts, and we left
on a high note.
On this night, Phish pushed the envelope. In fact, they pushed it too far.
Sometimes an extreme reaction one way produces an extreme reaction the other
way. That's what I think happened with this show in the 2nd set and encore.
They got so far out there - probably the kind of jamming they save for
rehearsals with no audience - in the post-Kung madness, that they felt they had
to compensate for those who were put off by its complexity and weirdness. So
they reacted with two popular favorites, a ballad, and a famous cover.
Still, you have to admire them for taking the chances they did. And you come to
appreciate even more a show like 11/27/98 or 2/20/93 where they really do
deliver that knockout punch.
Even with the downer at the end, I still would rank this as one of the 3 best
shows I've seen, along with 12/2/97 and 12/29/96. The tapes are a must-have. It
will be very hard for them to top it tonight. But I hope they at least
try.
Erik Swain
please send any questions or comments to [email protected]
*****************************************************
Erik Swain
Canon Communications LLC
Tel: 310-392-5509
Fax: 310-392-4920
Internet Address: [email protected]
Home Page: http://www.devicelink.com
*****************************************************
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 10:41:03 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected], [email protected]
Subject: PNC 7/15/99
as down as I was on Camden, I enjoyed the 1st night at Holmdel immensely
the 1st set was one of the longest that they played in quite some time & it
was excellent -- I loved the PYITE opener, I dig Farmhouse a lot, same goes
for
Axilla Uno, Bottom, Didn't Know w/vacuum, and a set closing Yemmer
2nd set started off with the gimmicky Meatstick but to be honest I love the
tune even if I cannot do the little dance; Melt kicked ass, the Kung was
totally unexpected, the Chalk Dust at the end was played faster than usual
which was cool
the crowd I thought was very good & security featured 10 guys from Rutgers
baseball doing a few shows at PNC to raise money for their program which
meant that they were not the typical venue staff
see ya tonite
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 10:11:53 -0400
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: PNC 7/15 REVIEW
hello all-- this is my first review in a while so please bear with me. As
far as my personal stats go (not that this should matter), it's was my 54th
show, 2nd of this tour (camden was the other one).
I left work from New York right at 5, took the train to the Matawan stop.
Got a shuttle from there right to the venue. I was really nervous about
this, figured that I would get slammed in traffic and not make the show.
But, much to my surprise there was NO traffic, we cruised right in. Anyone
coming from New York this is a great way to go to the show (of course the
last shuttle leaves at 11:30 so it might not be the best way to leave the
show).
the venue is great. Much better then the sterile, ampitheatres springing up
around the country (ecentre et al). Small lawn, REALLY clean, cool
security. Overall a cool place to see a show........
Set I: 7:59
Punch: Can you go wrong with this as an opener?? Your "typical" punch you.
Typically kicking your ass. "Fanfare ending" and when the dust settled
they were looping it up for...
Ghost: Good Ghost. Really good actually. It was probably close to 20
minutes (I think someone said 15) and while it never peaked, it touched on
some really pretty themes. If anything, it touched on too many themes and
never really settled down.
Farmhouse: Hadn't heard the new beginning yet....very pretty. I love this
song and I think that the outtro Trey plays now is just beautiful.
Horn: This is always great to hear. Note for note off rift but who cares
Poor Heart: Another fun 'un
Bottom: Slower than ones I have previously heard but that shouldn't come as
a surprise to anyone who has heard anything Phish have done this tour.
I Didn't Know: Very funny. Had Mike hitting his "bell" and trey adding
percussion on the keyboard.
Sloth: Timing was f-ed up but that's ok. Once they setttled down it
rocked.
--at this point let it be known that I figured one more and out. Maybe
slave, stash, or two shorter tunes. Wow was I wrong.
YEM!!!: This YEM was just sick. They took there time with the composed
section and then the improv began...
first off, when they were on the tramps page was watching them and "playing
their turns." I know he usually does this but you have to hear the tapes to
understand what I mean. Eg: trey/mike turn and page flares out the
organ...bubbles under while they bounce...then busts out again
Once they get off the tramps mike goes out of his head. He is laying down
the "bubbly bass" that is traditionally reserved for select moments. He
played like this for over 5 minutes. The rest of the band couldnt help but
follow his lead...it was great. When trey did take over it was nuts. I felt
like it was Decemeber 95. He laid some great grooves and then just started
peaking the YEM. He peaked it more times than I have EVER heard. It just
never ended. Similar in style to the antelope from 11/2/96. You just wonder
when he is going to stop. Just when you think he has reached the top, you
realize it is merely another plateau.......
Set 1: 94 minutes!!!
Setbreak music: i have been collecting/tracking Phish's setbreak music for
a while. So, it was pretty funny when they actually played an album I
bought last year! It was Stanton Moore's All Kooked Out. For those of you
who don't have it pick it up...it's great
Set II: Meatstick: Hadn't heard this one yet. I like the verses, and
yes....the catchy chorus :) I won't talk about all the trey jargon but if
you haven't heard about it check out gadiel's page for an explanation of
"what to do" for oswego. The jam out of meatstick was dense, lots of stuff
going on here. I'm going to have to get the tapes to listen to this again.
VERY good, but also very loose.
When this died down page was on the clavinet and trey had some loops
running....it was the perfect setup for 2001. Trey stepped aside to let
Fishman start it up, Toph was ready on the lights and Fish started up.....
Melt????: Trey's confusion was VERY apparent. Kind of fumbling his solos
and the lyrics to the song. Every break he got was going back and talking
to (yelling at?) Fishman. So, the jam starts and Fishman starts going
nuts...changing times DRASTICALLY...triple time, half time...taking the
rest of the band by his coattails. This jam was also good....but thick.
Lots of themes were run through here, although none overly groovy. Then it
got loud and out of the muck...
Kung: This was great...Trey must have said "stand up" 12 times..he was
screaming it. All this overtop a really sick groove. The groove died down
from here and suddenly it was just mike playing the bassline again to
melt...now 25 minutes removed. Trey didn't follow but it was really cool to
hear mike playing this over and over. The jam noodled around some more and
eventually just petered out
Bouncing: Trey had no voice from screaming during Kung...other than that
standard.
Chalkdust: Not the ethereal beauty of the Camden Chalkkdust...this one was
more like the end of Antelope. Definetely the most intense "standard"
chalkdust I have ever heard. Peaked like crazy.....it really felt like an
antelope or maze....Trey came back in to the lyrics and sang them
alone...really fast.
Set II: 10:22-11:27 65 Minutes
E: Brian and Robert: Slightly Reworked (?) but still nothing to impressive
Frankenstein: Cool! This song always rocks you out the door.
11:33-11:44 (12 Minutes)
Overall this was a great show. The second set really felt like the
exploratory shows from fall 97. While the jams produced may not be the
greatest...I think so long as they take the extreme chances they took last
night during the 50 minutes of "jam" they will eventually end up pleasing
everyone. Add this onto a SICK first set (reminiscent of pittsburgh last
year) and it was a wonderful show.
Comments etc. please send to [email protected]
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 03:10:25 -0400
From: Jeanne & Brian [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: review of 7/15/99
First of all, I have never seen a show at the PNC Arts Center. It's a
beautiful venue and security seemed very easy on those selling there
what-nots. Glad to see there are still at least a few places you can have a
good time without being hassled. My seats were in the first row af the last
section right behind the taper's section. The sound was crystal clear,
which we got a taste of about 20 minutes before the band came on. They
BLARED the star spangled banner over the PA (thought for sure the boys
would have done it acapella).
The PYITE opener was pleasant, but at this point expected as a set
opener. You can really hear Mike is up in the mix. He really stands out,
but I fear that Page is being left behind, I can barely hear him
anymore.This segued into a very nice Ghost. Nothing that was blowing any
minds...that was later. Farmhouse was next a good tune, always makes me
think of fall/winter, though. Weird to hear in the summer. Horn, Poor Heart
& Axilla were pretty standard. Trey was really rockin' toward the end of
Axilla. Theme was good to hear but they really don't explore this song out
enough. Theme segued into I Didn't Know, I like the vaccuum in the first
set, get it out of the way. I thought this was the set closer, but The
Sloth chords rang out. There goes my hopes of a gamehendge set 2 (you gotta
wish everytime, right?). The YEM set closer was incredible. Nice jamming
and wild vocal jam.
Set Two is where all the action was. First Phish breaks out Meatstick.
Good, fun new tune. during the chorus Trey explains that the band has been
trying to get into the guinness book of world records for some time now
(naked photo @ The Great Went), and they found the answer, have the most
people ever doing one dance...The Meatstick Dance. Which is basically a bad
ripoff of the Macarena (to better music!). Trey & Mike take off the guitars
and along with Page's wife they instruct the audience how to do the dance.
That's all fun and good, but what happens next made me shit my pants.
Meatstick goes into this really groovy little jam and then BAM Split Open &
Melt. I've Melts and I've heard MELTS. This one was sick, sick sickity
sick. The communication between the band is ridiculous. They were changing
tempos and styles every few minutes and they hit everyone. as they switch
the tempos around they sneak in with Kung. Never heard this Live and let me
tell you, it's wonderful, very full of energy. Kung slips into a jam that
has the faint smell of Melt but it's somehting very different. This jam
finally winds down and next comes....Bouncing. An alright song I guess, I
know people bitch and complain when they play it, but after what they just
put us all throuhg, we needed the break. Chalkdust was next and this was
one of the best chalkdusts I think I've seen, really climactic.
Whew! They exit the stage and we're all ready to hear something rocking
for the Encore. But alas we get Brian & Robert, and not just any B&R, but
an exrusiatingly slow version. I almost opened my wrists, all I could hope
for was a 2 song encore. Wish granted! They finish Brian and rip into
Frankenstein...much more like it! That's the way to end a show...
So to sum up, Set I highlights include Ghost and YEM I'd give it a 7.0,
Set II highlights Meatstick->Split Open->Kung->Jam and Chalkdust (you can
keep bouncing). Extremely well played set, I'd give it a 9.0. The Encore
was bitter-sweet. Brian was a bad choice but the Frankenstein made up for
it, next time just give us the latter. I'd give it a 5.0. So I'd give the
show a 7.5 maybe an 8.0. Let's hope Oswego is off the hook! See Ya'll
there...
Brian
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 02:19:20 EDT
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected], [email protected]
Subject: REview of 7-15-99
WoW! That is the first word that came to my mind when I sat down after an
evening of fun and activities. A Phish show at one of the most beautiful
ampitheaters on the east coast. Fully remodeled and ready for some good 'ol
rock 'n' rock!
The day started out with only a small drive from my home in New Jersey down
the parkway to the Arts Center. Meeting a few people along the way, we
managed to get a great parking spot very close to the entrance and had a
great pre-show. During that time I met the person who inspired me to
actually sit down and write this thing at 1:35 AM. His name was Chad, a.k.a.
"Chadwick," and we sat down with him and his friend Adam and had a great
session with excellent conversations. He told me all about the tour and how
it's been goin so far. Then we got into a great discussion about the
internet and I told him about this review that someone wrote on the
internet.
We both discovered that it was him that actually wrote that post on Gadiel's
site. It was great once we all figured it out that it was him, and we sat
there and laughed. He eventually passed on along his way and ventured on
into the night. I, on the other hand, was getting ready for another great
night from Phish.
But before I could start getting ready to go in, at about 6:15, the people
surround me in the parking lot were all buzzing about something. I look up
and only to my suprise I find Mike Gordon driving by me on his gold cart. A
pleasant site, oh yes it was.
7:15 eventually rolled around and we went into the venue. So, here is my
review of tonight's concert:
Set I -
Punch You in the Eye: One of my favorite show opening songs. It has a great
twist that is so musically intriguing that it just makes you wanna dance like
there's no tomorrow.
Ghost: I liked Ghost when it came out last year and I love it even more when
I hear it in concert. Very incredible jam at the end that led straight in
this song....
Farmhouse: I had a moment during this song. Not a serious moment, but a
moment. I just thought to myself of how great of a time I was having and
that I was in for a really good concert. It's a great tune with a really
cool ending jam. I liked the new intro that they added.
Horn: Last time I heard this song was at the Garden during last year's
holiday run. A great guitar solo sent chills down my spine, and probably
into the guy next to me as well.
Poor Heart: Now this is a song that I haven't heard in ages. I'd consider
it one of Phish's "closet songs" that they bring out ocassionally and put
back. Short song with that little western twist.
Axilla: I love this song. It always reminds me of summer time while driving
down the boulevard on Long Beach Island. I always loved blasting this song
(Axilla Part II) while driving in the wee hours of the morning. With the
smell of the beach and the sound of Phish, nothing beats it. (Too bad that
guy ran on stage and got cuffed away)
Theme From the Bottom: Once again, another great song. That's one thing
that I don't hear much at Phish shows, or at least the shows that I've been
to. Songs from Billy Breathes I hardly hear, but when I do, they just send
chills down my spine beacause that whole album just one great "dance."
I Didn't Know: I've never heard that vacuum before at a concert. I though
that it was probably the most comical thing about the whole show. Wierd
sounds and cool funky bass beat from Gordon. After that song, I thought
they'd pack it in, but to my suprise, Trey just opened his guitar once
again....
The Sloth: I heard this song at my second Phish show and to this date, I
haven't seen it since. 12/31/95. (PYITE opener into this) A great tune
that tells yet another great story. Short, sweet and to the point. I
thought for sure that the set would be over, but no, the band played
on.........
You Enjoy Myself: Probably one of the most insane jams with and incredible
light show at the end. Nothing more said. I do it myself.
Then I sat down in awe and didn't say a word for about ten mintues. I then
proceeded to smoke a very long cigarette until I finally opened my mouth and
started mingling with the people around me. Probably one the best sets I've
ever seen. I was completely blown away.
Set II -
Meatstick: For a song that's been hyped up so much, I figured that it would
be kinda cheezy hearing it for the first time.....but no way.. To my
suprise, it was a very catchy tune with a cute little dance attached. I
loved Trey's inspiration to break the Guiness world record. (He told a small
story how Phish tried to break a world record of having the most people naked
in one picture, I think.....) Anyways, I liked the dance and I'm very
proud/honored to be part of Phish's history when "we" all break it up in
Oswego.
Split Open and Melt: I like Trey's little flub during the beginning. Hey,
no one's perfect, and I'm sure no one really noticed it either. One of Lawn
Boy's greatest songs, SOAM is an intense jam that's gets every bone in my
body shakin'
Kung Chant: This is something that I haven't heard since 1995 either.
(12/30/95 - It's Ice > Kung Chant > It's Ice) I love it when they all scream
"stand up" because it gets everyone back involved into the concert and just
brings the whole dancing atmosphere back into play. They, the band brought
us all into one long and sweet jam that lasted a good 15-20 minutes.
Bouncing Around the Room: I've never heard this song live. I know it's one
of Phish's "famous" songs, but I really enjoyed it. It's a fun song that
everyone knows and the crowd sings.
Chalkdust Torture: Now I thought that last Saturday's, Camden, Chalkdus was
amazing, but I was wrong. Tonight's absolutely put me right back in my
chair. I love Trey's antics when he stresses a note and does some little hip
movements to it. It's a crowd pleaser and it definately got me excited. A
great song to end a perfect little second set. Short, and right to the
point.
e: Brian and Robert: Sweet song. Soft and just makes you want to sit back,
and relax while the band takes you on a small ride with their voices.
Frankenstein: One of Phish's great cover songs. (Edgar Winter Group) Done
exactly to their liking but with their little added flavoring.
One of my greatest, if not, the best show I've seen yet out of all of my 15
or so shows (over a 5 year period). Second show on the tour and so far the
best one yet. I have three more consecutive nights on tour, and then I go
back to civilization and that terrible office job that I'm holding for the
summer. I can't wait to see what's in store for tomorrow night.
Well, it is now approxamately 2:30 AM and I'm off to bed. Chad, I hope you
enjoyed this show, and post, as much as I did. To everyone else, enjoy
tomorrow night, I'll see you all there! Goodnight.
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1999 01:47:52 -0400
From: Paul Crutchfield
To: [email protected]
Subject: 07-15-99 PNC Bank Review
This was my first Phish concert ever, so this may be a bit biased
review, but it was the best concert I've ever been too. The band fed
off the energy of the audience, which was constantly there. I don't
know how security is at other venues, but I didn't like seeing people
get kicked out every 30 minutes.
They played some of my favorite songs, including "Farmhouse" and "Poor
Heart" which made me happy. They didn't play "Wading in the Velvet
Sea", which I would have liked, but their good performance made up for
it.
They were very entertaining and you could tell they put alot into the
show, teaching us the "Meat Stick" dance as well. I can't wait to get
this concert on tape :)
click here to return to the 1999 reviews page
hits (many)