SET 1:

Gumbo: interesting and rare opening choice, not my ideal energy level for an opener in theory but their execution on this one is great. Check out Page during the funk breakdown - that clav is murderous. Risk paid off, I’d say. >

Runaway Jim: this placement after Gumbo tells you right away that this isn’t gonna be your usual 2014 show. Standard.

Tela: WOAH! This is a white whale right here, first time in 2014. Bet people were going crazy in the crowd for this - who doesn’t love a Tela? Doesn’t quite hold a candle to 1.0 versions but it’s played pretty well.

The Line: they earned it but this would’ve been better later in the set. Fully maintain that this song wouldn’t be so hated without that awful falsetto vocal, because the solo section here and in other versions is quite pretty.

Scent of a Mule: here we go! Picking the energy back up for sure! Jam section starts with aggressive Page klezmer-type soloing on the piano, then this one goes totally off the rails in the best possible way. A bizarre atonal ambient section starts up with Fish on marimba lumina just shredding everyone with THX synth sounds, really bizarre section that sounds straight out of a ‘94 Tweezer. There’s a short passage with Trey on drums that briefly turns into Bisco-like synth jamming, awesome stuff. Only then does this go into the klezmer section and the conclusion. Is there a better Mule in 3.0? If there is I certainly don’t know it. Big big highlight and would recommend for those who like this song (I know it can be divisive.) Immediately goes into >

Bathtub Gin: some Mule teases at the start of the jam. Nice lick at 7:30, otherwise standard Gin bliss jamming. Really surprising transition into >

Silent in the Morning: damn! How many Horse-less SITMs have there been? Not many I imagine. Interesting that this doesn’t really feel like a cooldown tune when not attached to The Horse. >

Maze: very old-school so far outside of The Line. Trey forgets some lyrics in the early going. Longer-than-average Page solo and shorter-than-average Trey solo here, pretty whatever version. >

Ocelot: like this placement and pretty well played. >

Walls of the Cave: not bad at all to end a solid set.

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SET 2:

Down With Disease: solid if predictable opener choice. Well played composed section, Trey’s voice sounds good. The early going of the jam is quite nice with some euphoric Trey-Page interplay. There’s a fair bit of treading water from that point onwards, especially from Trey who doesn’t take the reigns and leaves it mostly to Page (who to his credit holds his own). Around 8 minutes in they start some more jazzy play and Page switches to electric piano which culminates in a krautrock-ish section that constitutes the rest of the jam. It’s not to be though, Trey starts looking for an escape hatch around 13 minutes in and they transition out. Page does his absolute best on this short-ish version so if it’s worth a relisten it’s because of him, but Trey doesn’t offer much at all. >

Winterqueen: honestly a really pleasant Trey solo comes out of this one with tasteful whale call. You’re not especially excited for this when it starts but quickly you forget all your preconceptions. Decent enough for sure.

Theme From the Bottom: not especially what this set needed at this point. Standard, jam is about as short as it could be. >

Mike’s Song: good reset! Fourth quarter has begun. Mike’s vocals sound off in the verses. Short fiery jam - are those Mission Impossible teases early on? VERY abrupt transition into >

The Wedge: from the start you are thinking - hm, interesting spot for this. Composed section and type 1 solo is totally as normal. Then at 5:30 something is clearly awry - this is getting jammed, baby! The early jam is a VERY cool dark groove with tribal drumming, just top notch full band work. Gets kicked up a notch once Page goes to the clav and suddenly this is a dance party. SERIOUS psychedelic goodness at 9:00 and some of Page’s best funk work ever at 9:30, crowd is roaring in approval. Breaks back towards the light at 10:30 ish and Fish offers an out with the Wedge beat, but Page has other ideas and utterly destroys the audience’s auricles with clav soloing. Only then do they return to the Wedge beat and end the song traditionally. This is a seriously impressive jam for this point in 3.0, calling it one of the best of the era does not seem like an exaggeration. Undeniably the best Wedge if you mostly care about the jams and has a serious argument for being the best if you look at the song from any era - thanks Page! Band basks in the applause for a bit and then Trey, clearly feeling funky, starts up…

Ghost: good stuff though honestly going into Weekapaug straight away might’ve been even better – on paper. Jam immediately goes into a really interesting four on the floor disco feel that almost sounds ripe for a transition into 2001. For the era Fish’s playing here is quite rare. Halfway through Trey fires out some interesting chordal licks that remind me of Keith Richards. Then Trey starts up his delay around 6 minutes in and an awesome spacey disco section starts up, seriously amazingly unique stuff. Listen to the band at 8:00 onwards – total four-headed beast, Mike riding out one note til the bitter end. Seagull effects at 10:30 – WOW! Fantastic jam, awesome Ghost, and unbelievable stuff coming out of The Wedge. One of the coolest versions of this song from any era I would say. Buttery smooth transition into ->

Weekapaug Groove: that transition is pure old school genius, so good that I have to assume it was planned – Fish starts up the beat and the rest of the band immediately dissolves away. Just like Ghost this jam immediately gets interesting and unique, they really are on fire here. I like Weekapaugs type 1 and raging usually but this one explores some decent mellow space before turning up the heat a bit. VERY briefly goes back into a Ghost jam in a deft little manoeuvre, then Trey aborts mission and takes things back into a peak. We get a small Stash tease, then the refrain and out. Not a highlight but perfect for keeping the energy high.

First Tube: One more surprise to end a set that just keeps turning the heat up and up and up.

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ENCORE:

Character Zero: standard victory lap.

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Overall: believe the hype. This is pretty much a strong show front to back with only the start of Set 2 to speak of as a notable weakness. You’d rather a slow start into a blitzing finish rather than vice versa, and the band clearly understands that sentiment given this Set 2. The Wedge is obviously one of the most legendary 3.0 jams ever and for good reason, but that Ghost might be even better – in the pantheon of great Ghosts in any era and that’s one hell of a busy field. Scent of a Mule is quite the same, one of the absolute best versions of a song that was usually at its best in 1.0. Three all-time-quality jams – what more could you want?

Giving this a 4.3, very very good show.