2024-02-21 Riviera Maya, MX

 Onwards to 2024 - gonna try to listen to the shows in "real time" this time. Almost made it so with 2023 (I was about 3 months behind on those, lol), but I have no excuse to not be up to date right now! Besides, I'm home from work today due to rain, so what else do I have to do!

2/21/24 Riviera Maya, MX

Back On the Train - Right off the bat, the sound is IMMENSELY improved from 2023's atrocious Mexico listening experience. Surprisingly chill on this one. Some nice robo FX start to creep in around the 5 minute mark. From here, a nice peak section builds and drives the song home excellently. Great little version. Cool delay usage from Trey. Really gets a strong head of steam going! Awesome little version!

The Moma Dance - THREE ORANGE WHIPS!!!!! The chill nature is again present and it gives a very nice feel to it, adding extra funkiness. Get it, Cactus! A good version on the whole, but it doesn't really need to be highlighted. It's great, but you've heard 20 that are even better.

>Down With Disease - Crappy screwed up intro 14 minutes on this one. The playing proceeds as normal until around 6:45 when they switch into Type II. A darker sonic palette emerges. Trey begins to play with backwards delay for a bit before reverting to his straight tone. Unfortunately nothing really comes of any of this and around the 9 minute mark they move into blissful waters. This is one of those dreaded "nothing is happenning" jams... Finally, Page comes in with the synthesizers right at the 10 minute mark, trying to push us deeper. The jam is firmly in synth-led, blissful outer space by the point, but Trey still ain't doing much. Page is sticking hard to those synths though! Very cool point around the 12 minute mark where Page and Trey sync up and peak together!!!! That was a strange Disease - took until past the 10 minute mark to get going, then we had several cool minutes of synth space freakout to close. I almost didn't highlight it but the final few minutes are awesome.

>If I Could - Interesting choice out of that synth space! Good version but nothing that special or noteworthy at all.

Everything's Right - Absolutely FILTHY version!!! The guys let it rip and just tear it the F up!!! MUST HEAR! It has a few different sections in it's brief run time but the main takeaway is that it really feels like everyone is CONNECTED, unlike that oddball Down With Disease (that almost doesn't deserve highligh status). THIS is freaking fantastic!

Halfway to the Moon - Is Halfway. Great stuff, but once you've heard one, you've heard them all. Very strong peak on this one!

Stash - Nice type I Stash, but as with Moma or Halfway, there ain't nothing here you ain't heard a million times before. Nothing special in the slightest.

Alaska - Is Alaska. Haven't heard this song in a hot minute! Absolutely fantastic!! Trey destroys this sucker on the wah pedal! Not exactly must hear, but a great time was had by all!

Destiny Unbound - Man, this set is going nowhere fast, eh? Anywho, it turns out, thankfully, to be an exceptionally HOT reading full of extra pizazz from Trey. Basically, see Alaska. Destiny is Destiny, but this was a good one. Doesn't really need a highlight, but it's good.

Ocelot - Love the song, but, c'mon now, Ocelot AND Alaska in the same set?! And thankfully, again, it's absolutely fantastic!!!!! Major peakage!!! Get it, Trey! Not the song you wanted, but the one you needed! NO. SERIOUSLY. THIS SUCKER IS DESTRUCTIVE!!!!!

Julius - FREAKING NUCLEAR!!!!! Builds on the heat of Ocelot and then some. Holy crap, complain about the song choice all you want, but this was a RIPPING rendition!

Sand - Short version tonight, not even breaking 10 minutes, unfortunately. It does nothing of note. Rages hard as expected but that's about it.

Life Saving Gun - 11 minutes and change on this sucker, it brings the goods as expected. Actual jamming occurs, lots of guitar strangulation. This sucker is must hear. This is some Neil Young-type guitar murder. A+++ Tons of spacey robo FX, etc. Killer stuff. I'd put this as the 2nd best right behind 12/30/23.

The Mango Song - For Ellie. Good stuff.

Carini - Short but destructive. Nuclear again. Good stuff.


All in all, there wasn't that much to say about much of this show. Way too many "bluesy" songs all in one set, and not much that went deep. But hey, for a Mexican 1-setter it was still darn strong! Everything's Right, Ocelot, Life Saving Gun, Carini, the end of Disease....lots of greatness scattered within. Seek out the highlights and you'll have a ball!