I've been re-examining Fall '98 after the release of the excellent 11/11 show earlier this year, and this second set is definitely deserving of more praise, and maybe a track or two on Live Bait.

The opening Ghost falls somewhere between the white-hot rage of 11/11 and the deep, dark groove of 11/19, opting instead for Trey-led speed boogie that downshifts before the overdrive truly kicks in. The subsequent melt into Halley's is atypical and laced with ambience.

Halley's is its usual bubbly self, and serves as a bridge between the two jams of the set, linking the following Tweezer nicely with what came before. Tweezer, then, is where the goods are. Make no mistake: this is an under-heard, underrated version. It dives almost immediately into Manteca waters and stays there, intensifying and shaking, until it too melts into ambience and the old school Tweez ending. Compare this jam with the incredible Manteca->Tweezer from 10/30, and you'll hear its genesis. Fish is the hero of both, typifying the wave Mike so aptly described him as this year.

Trey does some weird things in Possum, and ratchets up the melodrama to absurd levels in Zero, elevating the closing trio of songs above what the setlist implies. The whole set is worth your time, especially if you've got a new taste for the electro boogie of '98.