4 25 26 Las Vegas
The Sphere, Night 6
Set 1
You know it's going to be a good one when you get a rare Timber, let alone in the opening slot! And it's an absolutely fantastic version also. Good enough for me to give it the must hear status. It's very high energy and tight but other than the typical fire, It has a rather kind of blissfulness about it that makes it stand out in my opinion. A terrific, terrific opener.
Following suit, Moma Dance kinda becomes Timber part 2. I don't know if it reaches the same level but it's still definitely excellent and it has a unique kind of vibe to it. It's got this really smooth and fluid feel about it that is unusual. Definitely a gooey kinda reading. Definitely a stand out version for sure.
This continues into The Final Hurrah. That fluidity is in full glorious swing on this one. This is the best one in God knows when in my opinion. Probably on par with Charleston 2025. It's just terrific and they jam the crap out of it, stretching it very far without leaving the type 1 box. Some very cool textural looper stuff in the background, and Gordo is laying waste throughout. Must hear!
The first TRUE must hear monster of the night comes in the form of an absolutely satanic, 17 minute Axilla! This one does exactly what you hope for and more. The regular meltdown at the end quickly goes next level. This turns into a crazy kind of Godzilla stomp destruction scenario. Fishman doing unique marching kind of drum work. 2021 Style synthesizers abound. Trey Going absolute ham on the robot effects for what seems like five or six minutes. They take this as far out into the heaviness as I think they've ever taken a version since the unbelievable Mexico 2024 reading. This is some definite X Factor magic of the highest order and will be remembered as one of the highlights of the whole 2026 Sphere run when all is said and done. HOLY CRAP THIS IS INCREDIBLE YOU HAVE TO HEAR THIS IT WILL FREAKING DESTROY YOU!!!
As if that wasn't enough they keep the craziness going into a 17 minute Cities!!! The song itself sounds great but the jam is nothing to really shout about in my opinion. I mean it is genuinely excellent but it's so incredibly one note as to be frustrating. Basically it spends the entire time in upbeat melodic bliss rock zone. It does have some really excellent majestic areas where the band are funking good underneath Treys bliss rock giving it an interesting flavor at times but it only lasts so long before they divert to the typical "extended type 1". I will admit though that my issues with it are mostly my own and objectively this is a terrific reading that is definitely worthy of Must Hear status.
Following that, The set concludes with strong but standard readings of Horn, The Well and My Soul.
All in all I would definitely call this an excellent set. It started off strong and basically stayed they're even if Axilla was the only truly adventurous number. Still, Timber, Moma and Final Hurrah Are all top tier type 1 readings, while Axilla Is a genuine all-timer and Wave is a majestic soaring flight into the sky.
There isn't much else to say because it's just an excellent set all the way around. Great stuff.
Set 2
Set 2 opens with an 11 minute Halley's Comet. A fine version. Its got a really nice, but shortish, jam. Very hazy, Page layers it with synth washes while Trey kicks in some loopers while bliss rocking on top. Its really great and fades out perfectly. A light must hear - one of the "small treasures" of the run for sure.
Rising out of the haze we go into a 15 minute Blaze On. AND HOLY CRAP WHAT A FREAKING VERSION IT IS!!! It rocks like a mother effer just destroying the universe. Everybody is locked in so damn tight, tighter than Harry Houdini in his underwater straight jacket hell. This is one of those amazing "type 1+" readings that doesn't go type two but at the same time sees everybody going absolutely EXTRA on the jam in the greatest way possible. Gooey to a fault and just loaded with extra pizazz and eyebrows, as Frank Zappa would say. X Factor magic all over the sucker. Must hear in the greatest way possible. I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS HOW ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC THIS VERSION IS AND HOW MUCH YOU NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE AT ALL COSTS!
A 27 minute Chalkdust is next and wouldn't you know it We have another full-blown all-timer on our hands. The song itself sounds good and is pretty high energy without blowing the roof off, but it's driving good and you know we are going to get something special.
The jam begins around 6 minutes rocking good before going fully type 2 around the 7-minute mark. It dies down a lot into a hazy and blissy kind of upbeat yet driving Bliss rock area. Trey sets loopers and everybody noodles over this soundscape for a good while. It's really excellent and definitely inspired and sounds like an outgrowth of the end of the Halley's jam.
Around the 11 minute mark Trey slowly starts to rock harder and the jam makes a shift. A dark heat starts to take over the jam. Listen to Fish accenting everyone perfectly, the whole band working together like a cell. Quickly however it reverts back into a dreamy upbeat kind of zone. It's not meandering though and sounds like a jam with purpose - you know it's going somewhere and you can do nothing but sink into your seat and go along for the ride.
Around 12:30 the jam takes on a really cool "Midnight in the desert" vibe that I'm not sure how else to explain. Some light pitch shifting and looper usage with synthy accents and noodles. Lots of tasteful ambient squiggly type whatever. The jam is slowly phasing in and out between proper music and an ambient soundscape direction. It's not there yet but they are taking their damn sweet time with it and it's absolutely glorious.
It's not meandering it's patient. There is a huge difference. It's driving yet atmospheric and textural all at the same time. It's incredibly cool and I can't remember another jam like it. It's very very late '90s especially let's say 2000 era in my opinion. Desert Space jamming. Listen to Fish absolutely driving and owning this jam with all of his accents and great fills on all his different little percussion bits and bobs. He is using his entire kit let's put it like that. And it's just magical. Trey gets on the robo filter for some light robo playing.
This glorious section goes all the way to the 16-minute mark!!! Finally, it somehow begins to shift downwards and enters full on darkness, smoothly but quickly in the space of around 30 seconds. YO WHAT IS GOING ON THIS JAM IS FREAKING MAGICAL. This is one of the most perfectly patient and cohesive jams I've ever heard. Just absolute patience and inspiration and everybody working together. The definition of X Factor magic. Not a second wasted.
By 17 minutes things are just pure robot darkness. The jam is still driving and is not deconstructed but they are descending further into the outer space wormhole by the second. Listen to Fishman going absolutely bananas! Then around 17:30 they come out the other end and straight into uplifting hard rocking. Let's build this peak, suckers!!!
The jam soars into the sky, reminiscent of the Boulder 2025 Crosseyed or the Camden 1999 Chalkdust. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Atmospheric yet rocking and absolutely the definition of SOARING. It just doesn't stop and keeps going and going and going and going and going!!!!
Around the 21 minute mark the jam takes on this grindy and dirty kind of vibe despite absolutely still soaring through the sky. It's like we are crashing at a million miles an hour heading for impact blazing like a comet if you will. Oh my freaking god this is the greatest thing I've ever heard in my entire life. My jaw is on the floor, actually it's through the floor. They are just grinding it and grinding it and grinding it. This is some 1990s type jamming right here all day long.
Rising out of the haze we go into a 15 minute Blaze On. AND HOLY CRAP WHAT A FREAKING VERSION IT IS!!! It rocks like a mother effer just destroying the universe. Everybody is locked in so damn tight, tighter than Harry Houdini in his underwater straight jacket hell. This is one of those amazing "type 1+" readings that doesn't go type two but at the same time sees everybody going absolutely EXTRA on the jam in the greatest way possible. Gooey to a fault and just loaded with extra pizazz and eyebrows, as Frank Zappa would say. X Factor magic all over the sucker. Must hear in the greatest way possible. I CANNOT PUT INTO WORDS HOW ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC THIS VERSION IS AND HOW MUCH YOU NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE AT ALL COSTS!
A 27 minute Chalkdust is next and wouldn't you know it We have another full-blown all-timer on our hands. The song itself sounds good and is pretty high energy without blowing the roof off, but it's driving good and you know we are going to get something special.
The jam begins around 6 minutes rocking good before going fully type 2 around the 7-minute mark. It dies down a lot into a hazy and blissy kind of upbeat yet driving Bliss rock area. Trey sets loopers and everybody noodles over this soundscape for a good while. It's really excellent and definitely inspired and sounds like an outgrowth of the end of the Halley's jam.
Around the 11 minute mark Trey slowly starts to rock harder and the jam makes a shift. A dark heat starts to take over the jam. Listen to Fish accenting everyone perfectly, the whole band working together like a cell. Quickly however it reverts back into a dreamy upbeat kind of zone. It's not meandering though and sounds like a jam with purpose - you know it's going somewhere and you can do nothing but sink into your seat and go along for the ride.
Around 12:30 the jam takes on a really cool "Midnight in the desert" vibe that I'm not sure how else to explain. Some light pitch shifting and looper usage with synthy accents and noodles. Lots of tasteful ambient squiggly type whatever. The jam is slowly phasing in and out between proper music and an ambient soundscape direction. It's not there yet but they are taking their damn sweet time with it and it's absolutely glorious.
It's not meandering it's patient. There is a huge difference. It's driving yet atmospheric and textural all at the same time. It's incredibly cool and I can't remember another jam like it. It's very very late '90s especially let's say 2000 era in my opinion. Desert Space jamming. Listen to Fish absolutely driving and owning this jam with all of his accents and great fills on all his different little percussion bits and bobs. He is using his entire kit let's put it like that. And it's just magical. Trey gets on the robo filter for some light robo playing.
This glorious section goes all the way to the 16-minute mark!!! Finally, it somehow begins to shift downwards and enters full on darkness, smoothly but quickly in the space of around 30 seconds. YO WHAT IS GOING ON THIS JAM IS FREAKING MAGICAL. This is one of the most perfectly patient and cohesive jams I've ever heard. Just absolute patience and inspiration and everybody working together. The definition of X Factor magic. Not a second wasted.
By 17 minutes things are just pure robot darkness. The jam is still driving and is not deconstructed but they are descending further into the outer space wormhole by the second. Listen to Fishman going absolutely bananas! Then around 17:30 they come out the other end and straight into uplifting hard rocking. Let's build this peak, suckers!!!
The jam soars into the sky, reminiscent of the Boulder 2025 Crosseyed or the Camden 1999 Chalkdust. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Atmospheric yet rocking and absolutely the definition of SOARING. It just doesn't stop and keeps going and going and going and going and going!!!!
Around the 21 minute mark the jam takes on this grindy and dirty kind of vibe despite absolutely still soaring through the sky. It's like we are crashing at a million miles an hour heading for impact blazing like a comet if you will. Oh my freaking god this is the greatest thing I've ever heard in my entire life. My jaw is on the floor, actually it's through the floor. They are just grinding it and grinding it and grinding it. This is some 1990s type jamming right here all day long.
Oh my freaking God I have Goosebumps What in the F. Where in the hell did they pull this from. Word cannot begin to come close to explaining the insane ridiculousness of this jam. All my freaking God. This is just beyond nasty. This section goes freaking forever lasting all the way until about the 24 minute mark!!!!! At that point the blissful peaking subsides and turns into a dark and grindy kind of meltdown wash of sound. We are talking vocal samples and grinding loops and just dark atmospheric shredding etc power drill territory if you will. We don't get three orange whips we get about 40 of them. And with that the jam comes to a beautifully perfect and patient close, spending a few minutes in pure spacey ambience, slowly fading out.....
OH MY FREAKING GOD WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT. IF THAT IS NOT IN THE JAM OF THE YEAR TOURNAMENT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR I WILL BE SHOCKED. EVEN THIS EARLY ON I KNOW THAT IS A CONTENDER. HOLY FREAKING MAGICAL MOLY. WHAT DO YOU EVEN SAY ABOUT A GYM LIKE THAT. THAT'S A ONCE IN 5 YEARS JAM.
Great choice of a 17 minute Mercury follow that outer space excursion! A really good version, The jam spends its first long section in another low key, blissy noodle zone. Very nice and quite lovely. Around 13 minutes Trey jumps on the wah and delay pedal. The jam takes a very heavy turn and basically turns into volume two of the Blaze On jam!! A few fantastic hard rocking minutrs follow before a really lousy ending. The jam goes type 2 for about 20 glorious seconds before Trey axes it out of nowhere. I want to call this must hear. In the wake of the surrounding material it probably isn't but just note that it is still highlight worthy.
Following that, we get Waves. As usual, The song itself sounds under rehearsed. But that's pretty much the only fault. The X Factor magic strikes again and they deliver an absolutely sky-high rendition. During the jam everybody locks in tight and the magic is flowing big time. The end section where everyone syncs up perfectly in returns to the jam is so damn tight it's not even funny. Basically this starts shaky and then coalesces into something wonderful. Just absolute rocking carnage. Definitely a must hear performance. Eventually the song ends, going into a really interesting minute or so of pure dark ambience out of nowhere. Must hear. It's fantastic.
Following a typically blazing About to Run, they up the ante again with a 13 minute Ghost. This one is SPECTACULAR!!! As far as "in the box, modern type 1" versions go, this is top shelf. Extra heavy from the start, everyone is laying HARD into the gritty funkiness, full force. FIREFUNK if you will. Just absolutely wah pedal abuse, etc. A very heavy and GRIMY reading of the song . There isn't much to say because it basically just annihilates. But it's got wonderful color to it and isn't just your standard type 1 rocking version. I mean it is but it's got so much color and character to it it's not even funny. Just nuclear funk Rock if you will. Or something like that. Some definite X Factor on it in my opinion. Must hear!
What a way to end the set!
The encores consist of a powerful Bug into a typically raging First Tube. Uninspired choices but both are strong readings bursting with energy. Actually, First Tube is just NUCLEAR BOMB. To the point where it's actually surprising. Of course this song is the usual Go to shredfest show ender, but tonight its like they turned on the nitro and slammed it into overdrive! I'm dead serious when saying this is about twice as hot as most normal versions. And I'm shocked to find myself saying it's absolutely must hear!!!
All in all, this was another killer set. From start to finish there wasnt a single weak point, aside from the ending to Mercury (b.s.!). Chalkdust, Ghost, Halley>Blaze....maybe Mercury as well. Those are all must hear readings. Chalkdust is the definition of a monster - I think Mexico 2024 might have just met its match. No, seriously. And that Blaze On?! Damn, son...
All that being, said I think the nearly 4.3 rating on.net is accurate. Set one started strong and then slipped into the ordinary in the back half while set to boasted amazing A++ readings when things connected but had a couple spots of uncertainty with an uninspired choice of encore songs. My problems was set to are basically extreme nitpicking just for the sake of finding something to complain about though so just ignore that....
THAT CHALKDUST.
THAT BLAZE ON.
THAT GHOST.
THAT FIRST TUBE.
OH MY FREAKING GOD WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT. IF THAT IS NOT IN THE JAM OF THE YEAR TOURNAMENT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR I WILL BE SHOCKED. EVEN THIS EARLY ON I KNOW THAT IS A CONTENDER. HOLY FREAKING MAGICAL MOLY. WHAT DO YOU EVEN SAY ABOUT A GYM LIKE THAT. THAT'S A ONCE IN 5 YEARS JAM.
Great choice of a 17 minute Mercury follow that outer space excursion! A really good version, The jam spends its first long section in another low key, blissy noodle zone. Very nice and quite lovely. Around 13 minutes Trey jumps on the wah and delay pedal. The jam takes a very heavy turn and basically turns into volume two of the Blaze On jam!! A few fantastic hard rocking minutrs follow before a really lousy ending. The jam goes type 2 for about 20 glorious seconds before Trey axes it out of nowhere. I want to call this must hear. In the wake of the surrounding material it probably isn't but just note that it is still highlight worthy.
Following that, we get Waves. As usual, The song itself sounds under rehearsed. But that's pretty much the only fault. The X Factor magic strikes again and they deliver an absolutely sky-high rendition. During the jam everybody locks in tight and the magic is flowing big time. The end section where everyone syncs up perfectly in returns to the jam is so damn tight it's not even funny. Basically this starts shaky and then coalesces into something wonderful. Just absolute rocking carnage. Definitely a must hear performance. Eventually the song ends, going into a really interesting minute or so of pure dark ambience out of nowhere. Must hear. It's fantastic.
Following a typically blazing About to Run, they up the ante again with a 13 minute Ghost. This one is SPECTACULAR!!! As far as "in the box, modern type 1" versions go, this is top shelf. Extra heavy from the start, everyone is laying HARD into the gritty funkiness, full force. FIREFUNK if you will. Just absolutely wah pedal abuse, etc. A very heavy and GRIMY reading of the song . There isn't much to say because it basically just annihilates. But it's got wonderful color to it and isn't just your standard type 1 rocking version. I mean it is but it's got so much color and character to it it's not even funny. Just nuclear funk Rock if you will. Or something like that. Some definite X Factor on it in my opinion. Must hear!
What a way to end the set!
The encores consist of a powerful Bug into a typically raging First Tube. Uninspired choices but both are strong readings bursting with energy. Actually, First Tube is just NUCLEAR BOMB. To the point where it's actually surprising. Of course this song is the usual Go to shredfest show ender, but tonight its like they turned on the nitro and slammed it into overdrive! I'm dead serious when saying this is about twice as hot as most normal versions. And I'm shocked to find myself saying it's absolutely must hear!!!
All in all, this was another killer set. From start to finish there wasnt a single weak point, aside from the ending to Mercury (b.s.!). Chalkdust, Ghost, Halley>Blaze....maybe Mercury as well. Those are all must hear readings. Chalkdust is the definition of a monster - I think Mexico 2024 might have just met its match. No, seriously. And that Blaze On?! Damn, son...
All that being, said I think the nearly 4.3 rating on.net is accurate. Set one started strong and then slipped into the ordinary in the back half while set to boasted amazing A++ readings when things connected but had a couple spots of uncertainty with an uninspired choice of encore songs. My problems was set to are basically extreme nitpicking just for the sake of finding something to complain about though so just ignore that....
THAT CHALKDUST.
THAT BLAZE ON.
THAT GHOST.
THAT FIRST TUBE.
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