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Date:    Tue, 20 Oct 1998 20:25:40 GMT
From:    CS 
Subject: **12/29/97 Madison Square TUBE**

This is my first "review," but it might not actually be a review, so
I'm probably just out of my mind ... anyway, I was BLOWN AWAY by this
Tube on the way to school this morning, and again on the way home, so
I thought I'd try my hand at reviewing it, or at least some aspects of
it.  This is all from memory, so if this reviews is bogus, blame it on
that, or the PSAT  which I had to take right after I heard this
wonderful Tube this morning, what a buzzkill.
        This tube follows DwD-Bowie.>Possum, which I think is PERFECT
placement, not because it was after the long jams of DwD and Bowie,
but because it followed the blusey ending of Possum.  (See 2/26/97 My
Soul, Tube for good post-blues placement also).  Blues, then Tube just
WORKS for some reason, who knows.
        Ok, the intro was standard except for I think I hear Trey
chuckle a little in the "asteroid crashed" part.  Very bass-heavy,
thick, and chunky opening lyrics...you can tell you're in for a treat.

The jam started out funky-spacy, and turned into just a fairly normal
funky groovy type jam, nothing too special.  This is until the
"start-stop" jamming started.  This was the same type of start-stop
jamming as 12/7 Tube, 11/28 (I think) Ghost, and 12/6 Izabella->JAM.
However, there is one difference.  During the "stops"  of these other
start-stop jams - being the part after the big buildup and before they
explode back into the funk - the only playing is usually a quiet
little beat on the drums from Fish, which counts down until they start
jamming again.  The "stops" in this Tube, were different - that's why
it stands out to me.  The first "stop" was actually fairly quiet, with
a random note or two from Mike on the bass, and that familiar counting
down  rhythm from Phish.  Mike was all over the second stop, pounding
out a cool little bassline to go along with Fish on the hi-hat.  The
third "stop" - was what turned the jam into HOSE mode.  After the big
buildup, Page just goes off on the keyboards, a great funky scratchy
groove which, in turn, the whole band starts to jam on, which turns
into the "I feel the Earth Move" segment.  This is fairly self
explanatory, and after this segment comes a little more straight funk,
followed by an exciting as usual closing lyrics segment.  After this
is YEM - I'm so / so on this placement, but I'm tired of writing now
and haven't listened closely to this YEM so I won't get into it.
Later folks,


--
"Parlez en anglais, for Christ's sake, said the corporal.  Je ne parle pas francais."
    -jh
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