This show features a phenomenal uptempo Tweezer (hey - it IS from December '95, right?) that starts up on the heels of the last-ever performance of Faht.

Tweezer takes a few bars to get off the ground, but quickly ventures into the aggressive improvisation that this era is known for. The band is completely locked-in to one another, and they are firing on all cylinders. Around the 7 min mark, Fishman throws the beat into a double-time feel and all hell breaks loose. Mike & Trey are so synced up it is read-icculus. At 7:35 Trey throws out a dark lick that winds up this portion of the jam, and then it's a full-steam-ahead onslaught to the climax. Someone (on stage?) yells "yeah!" Three minutes later we are finally nearing it -- Fishman pops back into the half-time feel for just a few bars just prior to the (first) climax, giving even more power to the peak when they rip into it. Impeccable playing from everyone here. Page is sustaining chords on the Hammond with his one hand, but wailing on the piano with his other. Then he switches completely to the piano, and the jam enters its second peak. Right at 12:00 they build to this final peak, and the audible sound of heads exploding is present on the tape. At 12:35 we are back to the half-time feel, and the glorious wind-down ensues. There's a very strong "Take Me To The River" feel here. The last few beats of this wind down are so slow, it's almost comical.

The rest of the show is solid, too (I just happen to like the Tweezer best). The Jim leapt out at me as being particularly strong -- it just went that extra step as compared to the Jims of more recent memory (again, this is Dec-95 we're dealing with...this extra reward is to be expected!) It sounds like the band is really keyed up throughout this show. Maze rages. Simple rocks (this is from back when Simple rocked). Trey gives a maniacal "mwuah-ha-ha" type of laugh he layers the effects at the beginning of Also Sprach.

It feels strange to have Golgi late in the 2nd set like this. Also feels strange to go Coil>Reprise. But Page teases "Carol of the Bells" in his Coil solo, which made me smile. Because 12-2 in New Haven was probably very Christmasy.

This is also the first-ever Caspian opener. (Is that a good thing?)

Decent soundboards now exist of this show.