2012-06-07 Worcester, MA

 Might as well keep on trudgin with 2012 - been excited for it, actually As great as the recent shows have been, it's a nice breather to go back to when crazy jams were the rare treat rather then every single show.

Don't fear - when I feel off I am going to be alternating with 1994, leaving off where I finished 1993. Excited for that too

Yes, I am an ambitious listener. Yes I have way too much time on my hands. Yes I like this band way too much. Sue me.

Anywho, on to 6/7/12 Worcester

Set 1

Buried Alive - Holy crap, talk about a way to kick off the summer tour! It's red hot (as expected) and Trey absolutely annihilates, even getting some gnarly feedback squealing in here and there. Fantastic.

>Runaway Jim - Hotter than the sun! They come BLASTING out of the gates with this!!! The guys are patient and take their time in between the verses building tension for the peaks and it just makes it all the better. Wow! Terrific little Jim!!! Buried Alive teases HOLY FREAKING CRAP THIS IS OUTSTANDING!

Torn and Frayed - Great to hear! Hesitantly rough sounding though. The crowd is aboslutely going bonkers though! Surprisingly lengthy jam on this one and very, very nice once it gets going. I can tell this will be a "everything is listworthy" gig, so let's just say it's almost list-worthy

Funky B - FREAKING GET IT PAGE!!! Insanely hot as always.

Moma Dance - Always a bop, this one feels special, like it's just oozing extra hot mustard sauce or something. Just the energy and excitement from the band and the crowd....it's freaking awesome. A+ Moma!!!!

Rift - GET IT BOYS! LETS FREAKING GO!

Nothing - This is fantastic and sounds well rehearsed. As with Access Me, why is this a rarity? This deserves a couple plays a year! Great tune that most have forgotten about and the multi-layered vocals sound great. Awesome stuff! Trey's solo is just lovely!

Ocelot - Exceptionally bluesy tonight. Really taking their time with this one, just soaking it all in. This builds to a lengthy peak with everyone just blowing their collective stacks. A very POWERFUL Ocelot!

Beauty Of a Broken Heart - Fantastic reading of this unfairly forgotten Page number! I absolutely love, love, LOVE this song and this is one of the best versions I've heard of it, by far. It might actually replace the version I have in a non-album songs compilation of mine! Definitely rehearsed, lol. HOT!!!

Possum - Endless Beat It On Down the Line intro, Beauty of a Broken Heart teases, smashing energy out the wazoo. Yes, Possum is Possum but this is some GNARLY ROADKILL RIGHT HERE! Fantastic Possum!!

Rocky Top - Is Rocky Top


Absolutely SMASHING first set!!! The mutual energy exchange between the crowd and band is palpable throughout and everything is played with aplomb. The rarities sound like they are always played and the classics have extra sauce abound. Couldn't hope for much more from the first set of a tour!!! Fantastic set!!!

 

Set 2

Carini - Things get predictably dark and gnarly right away. Very spooky playing with Fish and Mike locked into some patterns behind Trey widdling away. But they make it dynamic, bringing things down and then rising back up. They slowly explore the groove, evolving into Type II space ambient around 6 minutes in. Fish is still keeping a steady beat, but the other 3 guys are all playing with their "toy laser gun" sounds - you know what I'm talking about. Late 90's ambience. etc etc. Fishman brings the drumbeat up to a more frantic pace and Trey starts to very delicate lullaby-like playing on top of the synth washes. They are taking their time playing around with all this, Trey seemingly fumbling for where to go at points. Slowly he seems to gain more confidence and starts inserting licks and playing with feedback. Page replaces the synthesizer with some more upbeat keyboards and Fishman adjusts the tempo downward for a more blissful kind of feeling. Extremely cool jam here. Absolutely 1999/2000 worthy! All we are missing now is a whale siren! Around 10 minutes and Trey starts some stoccato picking while Fishman does some wood-block/Neil Peart tom tom worship with synth swells going on in the background. This is very, very cool and unique sounding! Eventually the beat stops except for cymbal taps and Page, Mike and Trey all join together in unison for some blissful playing, bouncing off what each other are doing. ABSOLUTELY FRIGGIN PERFECTLY TREY LEADS US INTO TASTE! WHAT A MOTHER EFFIN SEGUE!!!! THAT CARINI WAS SICK AND THAT SEGUE WAS PURE HONEY!

>Taste - Yes, that freaking segue...oi vey!!! No ripcord there! That was what we want! As expected this thing is a steamroller and Page takes center stage throughout. Fantastic piano out the wazoo!! Then Trey comes in with some tasty licks and all is right with the world. * chef's kiss * They ride this out to it's natural conclusion and it just peaks like a volcano. Fantastic. Jeez louise!!!! A+ guys!

Ghost - Taste ends properly, then Trey turns on some repeating loops and slowly leads us into Spookyville. The rest of the band take note and ever so slowly build the rhythm of the song, note by note, sounding like a 1970's porno flick soundtrack. Uniquely, Trey starts singing the song while still in this Slow Ghost mode giving this a very laid-back and kinda bluesy feel!!! Soon it picks right up, but that setup was fantastic. Definitely a very unique intro to the song!!! Thankfully, this sound/vibe continues throughout the song giving it more dynamics than perhaps is usual. 4 minutes in though and Trey sets off a high note, triggering it in his looper. This fades off into the background and we are officially in Jam Land. Instead of heading for ambience however, Page and Mike both get some air time in a funky jam that has shades of 1997 throughout. This is truly group playing with no one member taking center stage - everyone is contributing to the greater whole and playing off each other. The Type I continues until 9 minutes when Gordo kicks in some effects and the rest of the guys immediately latch on to his playing, leading the jam into a darker and more brooding direction. The crowd aptly notices as well and signifies their approval with roaring applause. They haven't gone full Type II yet, but they keep hinting at it, inserting little bits of oddball stuff here and there, only the reign it back and not take the plunge. That's ok when the FLOW of the jam is this good! Seriously, this thing is just like butter, baby. Around 11 minutes the guys take the plunge. Trey introduces a repeating melodic refrain that the other guys latch on to, again using his looper system to layer pattern on top of pattern. Everyone adjusts accordingly and rides through this space flight together. Eventually Trey lets the looper die off and the guys return to more blissful, major key playing with lots of great piano from Page and Mike inserting himself with little fills left and right. Trey lays back and lets the mood shift again - a heavy bass groove over some chill-ass keys from Page. 14 minutes and Mike turns this kinda floundering jam into Reggae Woman. Perfect timing! This was an awesome jam, but it seemed unsure of itself at times. It won't be one for the hall of classics, but it's also not one to sleep on either! Definitely worth a listen!!!

>Boogie On Reggae Woman - Wonderful song choice out of that point in the jam!!! Keeps the energy going and everyone on their feet. This jam is on fire!!! Trey lays out for several minutes, complete content to let Gordo absolutely friggin tear up his bass! GET IT, CACTUS!!! I mean, hell, we are 6 minutes in and only now is Trey beginning to add some tasteful licks to this swampy, funk-fest boogie invasion. This is all about Gordo! He is still tearing it up! DANG! Around 7 minutes though things turn around and Trey has begun playing some awesome melody lines with Page jumping on the organ and the other 2 tearing it up from behind. This is pure fire! Full-band playing at its finest!!! This absolutely has to go on the list of Greatest Reggae Woman's Ever Played. It is just spectacularly fantastic. For real. A+++++

>If I Could - Reggae Woman spends its dying 2 minutes melting down into soupy ooze, only for it to suddenly end and the gorgeous If I Could begin. Oh man, after that 47-minutes of raging, this is the perfect choice. Just great.

Quinn The Eskimo - It's Quinn. It's fantastic. And the crowd freaking laps it up. So much energy!

>Harry Hood - It's Harry Hood. It's good but goes on too long as always. Next!

Cavern - Fantastic! A+ fire!!! Got that 1993 energy for sure! Woke me back up after Hood and had me headbanging until the last notes rang out. AWESOME!

Buried Alive - BA Reprise! List worthy for sheer unpredictability alone!!!

Loving Cup - Two Exile covers in one show! Awesome! They kill at as always and bring this rip-roaring, darn-near-classic show to a close.



OUTSTANDING second set! Everything after Reggae Woman is a bonus, but that first 48 minutes of Carini>Taste>Ghost>Reggae was some of the most awesome music I've ever heard. This show was a phenomenal way to kick off the tour and the year!!! Don't sleep on this show! IT IS SICK!!!!