10/29/94 Memorial Aud., Spartanburg, SC An absolutely incredible show, imo. Phenomenal. A siiick Antelope > Monkey >
Antelope, Sparks, Bike, TMWSIY, an ultra-groovy Buffalo Bill > Makisupa, Harry Hood (E)... an aphishionado's phish show,
imo. All you people trivializing the Concert Review Poll rating system by awarding "8" and above ratings to 1996 shows need to
either hear or revisit this show... a real "8" if ever there was one, imo. The YEM is no slouch, either... Opening standard. The
pre-Nirvana section contains the (now) typical repetitive one-Note Mike dallying, and spacey effects from Trey and Page.
Typically beautiful pre-Nirvana.. Nirvana at 3:14. Page is just magnificent in here, and everyone else accompanies steadily,
although Trey could be sharper, in all honesty. Mike's solo-section is a lil jazzy, melodious, and quizzical -- nothing spooky and
evil! The pre-charge section is good, but Trey's first shot at the Note isn't. He nevertheless jams well around it. Second shot at
the Note is beautifully sustained by Trey, and the composed section performed by Mike, Page & Fish is equally flawless. "Boy"
at 6:39 after a MIGHTY scream from Trey. Not quite a typical WUDMTF segment even for Fall '94... the brief jam before the
second round of WUDMTF chants is unusually awesome, as is jam before the tramps segment. Wicked clav action from Page,
and great stuff from Mike and Fish, but not much from Trey (he lies low). Tramps segment at 8:53, and Trey & Mike don't
appear to be on the tramps. Indeed, a very nice jam transpires with Page going OFF on the clavinet and everyone
accompanying!!! =^] Trey's active, but mostly chording. Mike is damn funky, too, but Page is the real leader of this jam!! Great
stuff from Page!! Enough to make a person become a serious Page fan!! He just doesn't stop nailing dat damn 'clav.. then he
moves to the hammond around 10:40 or so! At 10:50 Trey comes in on a theme that is catchy and groovy, but Page is still
powerfully jamming!!! And Mike!! And Fish!! Everyone is just really grooving in here. Around 12 minutes, everyone is in the
midst of an especially repetitive but nevertheless funky and pleasing groove!!!! Yes!!!!!!!!!! Trey just starts melodiously soloing
o'er top some truly exciting accompaniment from the others around 12:30!!! Total hose everyone down, all-hallowed YEM
jamming around 13 minutes, but with an intensity that is even exceptional for YEM!!! A very good close to the jam segment,
too, but not quite as intense as it could have been. At 13:40 it is bass and drums and Mike just comes right out melodiously
funking along the same theme that the jam segment entertained!!!! This is sooooooo enchantingly groovy!!! YES!!!!! Just a
completely GLORIOUS bass and drums groove! Kinda short for my tastes, but.. OUCH! At 14:56 Trey begins the closing
WUDMTF segment, but Mike wasn't quite ready, even though he gave THE SIGNAL. Still, not a smooth transition in to
closing segment. DAMN!!! I was wondering why they didn't put this on the CD, since it kicks 12/7/94's butt majorly, imo.
Now I know. The vocal jam is quite enjoyable (and truly is a vocal JAM, that one can move too well.. no small furry creatures
particularly. Lots of vocal JAMMING. ;) No apparent teases or special themes, although Fish is very throaty. Cuts at 18:33,
and there's no carry-over onto side B. Total time is roughly 19:30, probably, given the state of the vocal jam when the cut
occurred and given where the vocal jam began. Well, this version was really looking like an "A-" easily until the transition into
the closing segment, which I've never heard botched until now. It really isn't THAT BAD, though. :) B+ rating. Get this YEM.
It has what is effectively an extended SERIOUS jam segment, since the "tramps segment" didn't have any tramps.. everyone just
accompanied Page and wailed. And it is a *GREAT* 6 minutes!! I'm going to listen to this again right now!!! (relistens) I do
wish the jam segment was longer and had closed more profoundly, but the B+ is definitely reasonable imo, especially in light of
1994 and all of the older YEMs I've heard. two cents dirk420