@chowdahead said:

The band is frustratingly up and down right now like they haven't been since '09-early '10. Some great jams, but in general all over the place.

I disagree. In 09-10 it was predictable and boring at times. It was non-stop tension-release jamming, and very little exploration, with the occasional great Jam/Show.

Chula may not have had huge Jam -- but it was a very interesting, unpredictable show. The Jams were a short, but they all varied, and rarely relied on formulaic tension/release, and peak-based jammimg. I think Seattle is the only 09-10 type show.

Chula was a tight - Firey show. One of my favorite 1st sets (did not like the Halleys though - last good one was Bethel '11, imo). Sure the early song placement was predictable, but MoMa had a cool sound, and Funky Bitch definitely had some extra mustard. And the Destiny-Timber-Tela-Wingsuit, was a sweet and unique 2nd quarter.

This 2nd set kept you on your toes and did not stop. It may not have been big-jam heavy, but it jammed and Fishman drove them at raging pace, wholly unique to anything in 2014 -- It should have ended with a Fuck Your Face. This show was the antithesis, to the super-slow Randall's CDT that turned into that beautiful thoughtful jam. Chula wasn't contemplative jamming - it was high octane GO!!!

And YEM - though no stand-out jam, was the cleanest I have heard Trey play the in 3.0. Which bodes well for his practicing.