Took me a while to get to show #2 of the hallowed December '95, but here we are.

The show opens with a short version of an early days Caspian. No guitar solo or anything extending the song. It's over in under 3 minutes.

Runaway Jim is in the 2 spot and fits as a second opener of sorts after the odd Caspian starter. This is a very nice version. Plenty of dynamic playing and a nice fiery solo. It's a surefire highlight even at just over 8 minutes.

Mound is up next and is a well-played version.

They drop into Guelah next. This is also played in crisp fashion. Very well played in fact.

Reba is the first nice open jamming canvas in this show. The composed section is very nicely executed at speed. The drop is very beautiful, it's quiet but more purposeful than spacey. Fishman carries a nice steady beat just above brush level for a while, while Trey colors some excellent melodies. Mike is pretty active, and Page is more in the background. It works well as Trey actually plays a lot of notes even in the quiet jam section. Around 8 minutes they start to build a bit upward in a classic Reba sense. Page gets more assertive on the piano and Trey finds some strong and familiar lines, which he patiently works through. The intensity grows at 10 minutes with Page really hammering and a nice cacophonous jam happens. At around 11:30 trey goes back to the melodic Reba well and builds some nice ascending lines. By 12:30 he really sinks his teeth into the solo and peaks it at a fiery pace. Excellent and thrilling conclusion to a fine jam.

My Sweet One follows up in punchy fashion.

Free is next. They play the song proper nicely with some good vocal harmonizing. It's not a long improvisational piece, but contains a very nice spacey/effects jam with Page out front, while Trey goes to the looper and creates the rising falling tension and some sputtering growls. Some similarities to the Coral Sky version '96. It shifts from dark back into the melodic song structure around 6:50 for the final verse. It's a different structure than today, and a very nice take, with the spooky middle jam.

Taste is up next and sounds good, in spite of Fishman's vocals, which are a bit cringeworthy. Overall it's a decent enough version, but nothing notable.

Bouncin' slides in before Possum, which seemed about right in terms of placement.

Possum is the set closer. It's got a nifty bit of jamming and some secret language. There's a nice quiet jam before the 6 minute mark, which builds some nice intensity with Trey hitting a nice blue vamp and jumping into a bit of chording. Trey moves back into the lead and builds some very nice tension as he climbs into the stratosphere. Around 9:30 things get more frantic and continue to build to a pretty darn massive peak that reaches full scream by 11:10 or so. One last climb before 12 minutes and the final verse sends us into set break. Very nice version.

Overall, a standard great set I with Jim, Reba, Free & Possum being interesting and quality takes. It's a very strong and energetic set.

2001 opens up in early 90's table setting fashion. It starts with a brief intro jam that is noisy and odd. The band plays a nice quick version of the song proper and land in the familiar hi hat of Maze.

Maze is a good version. In fact, it's a great version. Page's solo is plenty of fun, but when Trey grabs the reins he proceeds to throw incendiary flurries of notes down upon us. There's a cool tension filled segment around 10:10, which Trey meticulous crafts into a simmering, then sizzling, then exploding peak. Well done.

Simple keeps the energy high. The outro jam is nice and rhythmic a little more rocking than some of the sparse, spacey jams you might be accustomed to in Simple. Fishman in particularly is playing quite heavily until about 6:20 at which point he drops out, leaving Page and Trey to trade notes before a darker spacey interlude leads into Faht.

Some space at the end leads to Tweezer, which is played at pace. Very crisp. The opening jam segment is nice and rhythmic. Trey playing more rhythmic leads, before diving into some traditional lead playing around 5:45. Fishman is working nicely as a counterpoint to Trey's leads. They are really cooking by 8 minutes in, with a nice driving jam. Trey hits a cool line around 8:15, which he uses to spring the jam further into driving territory. The hit another upshift around 9 minutes and Trey sends a nifty little mini peak our way at 9:30. He hits the leslie for just a second or two before building another step change around 10 minutes. Trey is really firing off notes at this point and the band continues to drive. 11:05 is another great peak, which Trey continues to shred on until about 11:45, at which point they drop into a mini noise jam that builds to another go 'round on that peak at 12 minutes. 12:30 we get a rythmic slightly funkier breakdown, which downshifts at 12:50, slowing to the breakdown style Tweezer endings of the earlier 90s. They crawl to a satisfying conclusion. This jam reminds me of a slightly faster and more raw version of 7/18/16 Sneakin' Sally jam from BGCA in that it's driving and pretty relentless. Good stuff.

ADITL is a nice follow up to the Tweezer and flows well into Golgi, followed by a very pleasant Coil.

Tweezer Reprise is a damn fine closer.

Bold As Love is a damn fine encore as well.

Overall - you'll find some stronger shows deeper into 12/95, but this is a mighty fine specimen in it's own right. The Tweezer is the big jam of the show, but don't sleep on a solid set I, and the set II flows quite nicely with a very cool opening trio.= of songs.

4/5