Gin review - 6-28-00

From: Ryan Richards soda_jerk@hotmail.com
Subject: 6/28/00 Monster Gin

This is my first shot at reviewing an individual song, though I have 
reviewed a couple shows.  However, after listening to this Gin for the past 
few months (and on my way to work today), I had to write about it.

I have heard some of the best Gins out there (12/29/95, 11/23/97, 8/13/93, 
11/21/98....etc.) and I can definitely say that the 6/28/00 blows these 
versions away with sheer power.  No loops.  No effects.  Just straight-up, 
balls-out, hard-core jamming.  Phish at it's finest.

Following on the heels of a very nice Taste, Bathtub starts at the usual 
time of 0:00.  Usual Trey strumming with Fishman giving some nice fills here 
and there.  After a few seconds, Page enters with a vengeance!!!!  He pounds 
the shit out of the keys, like he knows exactly where this Gin is headed.  
He is everywhere.  Up and down!  Down and up!  Tickling the Ivory's like a 
madman.

The usual lyrics segment comes in after Page's wonderful piano soloing.  
Page's fill in segment is next with some nice stuff, but not quite the 
energy from the intro.  A small flub just before the lyrics and everything 
is back to normal.  Standard Gin stuff here, thus moving into the Rhapsody 
in Blue Segment, which is pretty standard as well.

Faucet segment is standard as usual.

Faucet with singing is pretty standard as usual, although Mike seems to come 
in much clearer here than usual as he bellows his, "Bathtub Gin" lines.

The jam starts out pretty standard with some nice fills and hesitations from 
Fishman (making love to his woodblock) and Trey.  The standard Gin drum-beat 
only sticks around for about 30 seconds.

Fishman accelarates the tempo to a driving, grooving funk beat and Mike 
funks along nicely.  Very good stuff from Mike right here as he complements 
Fishman oh so nicely, making for a very danceable and groovy......groove.  
Trey continues to repeat the faucet lick with a little variation and some 
melodic noodling here and there (I was surprised how quickly this jam takes 
off from the usual Gin beat and noodling, as they get right down to 
business).

Trey gets some funky chording going along to accompany the groove Mike and 
Fish are laying down.  Mike drops out for a sec for a little Trey and Jon 
funking.  After Mike comes back in Trey begins teasing something that I 
can't quite put my finger on (a very catchy little riff).  He then moves 
into some smooth and sparse funk chording, that starts to build a little 
bit.  He has a real cool (somewhat watery sounding, for lack of better word) 
effect going on right here that would be heard again during the next night's 
Drowned (which is an insane version, as well).  Anyway, Trey teases that 
catchy riff again in the middle of this little groove and continues to 
noodle very melodic here as the jam is about to take off into insanity.

Trey fades out for a second as Page has some nice fills on whatever keyboard 
he is using at the moment (Unfortunately you don't hear much Page during 
this jam).  As Trey fades back in he begins strumming a very catchy 2 chord 
rhythm (C>F, I believe), that he will continue to use throughout this jam.  
This is where the jam just starts to build and build.  Still more Trey 
strumming continues, and he switches over to a more rocking effect on the 
doc.  Mike continues to thump along nicely and Fishman is keeping the beat 
pretty steady as Trey's chording eventually fades out again.

For a few seconds it is just Page, Mike, and Jon.  Then Trey explodes back 
in, playing a descending scale that just sounds so perfect right here.  He 
repeats this lick a couple of times and the intensity really picks up as he 
starts to take charge.  This jam just continues to build and build so 
smoothly!!!!  Damn this is some of the BEST JAMMING I HAVE EVER HEARD FROM 
PHISH!!!!!  Trey continues to mix it up and then just tears the roof off 
with as he just starts shredding away with unmatched intensity.  I can just 
imagine the constapated look on his face as this is going on.  The crowd is 
eating it up and the energy level is still to hit a peak.

Trey again starts strumming the C>F progression, which sounds like it is 
about to peak, but not quite yet.  Fishman is just beating the shiznit out 
of the drums now.   Trey solos some more and Mike becomes prominent again as 
the whole band sounds as if they are one.  Fish and Mike are just locked in 
so tight as Trey continues to shred.  This is so damn good it sounds 
composed!!!!  Trey begins to ascend this riff up the doc and once again 
returns to the C>F progression (or whatever two chords they are).  Fishman 
has more mad fills here and the crowd is really picking up the energy too.  
Trey chords lowder and lowder and once again drops back into some more 
soloing that quickly builds and builds, as the tempo continues to 
accelartate!!!!  HERE WE GOOOOO!!!!!!!  THE MOST AWE-INSPIRING PEAK 
EVER!!!!!  Trey peaks as Fishman descends beautifully to complement Trey's 
peak.  THE ENERGY IS JUST SHOOTING OUT FROM THE STAGE!!!!!  Fishman is going 
to have a heart-attack!!!!!  Trey is going to have an anurism!!!!!!  They 
just won't quit.  They keep peaking and peaking.  Stop the unsanity!!!!!  
Good God, this is what Phish is all about.  Rock and Roll at it's finest!!!  
Trey just won't stop!!!  What in the world is going on?!?!?!?!  Fishman!  
Trey!  Fishman!  Trey!  Mike and Page are a little more prominent in here 
and are just as insane as Trey and Jon, all of a sudden.  The jam begins to 
return to the Bathtub theme, which I wish they wouldn't have done after such 
a mind-melting jam, but oh well.  The ending is pretty standard with a very 
slowed-down ending and what could be a start-of-Hood-drum-roll from Fishman, 
but just ends.

Over-all this is easily the top Gin I have heard.  The jam sounds almost 
composed and just builds and builds to insanity.  I haven't heard them jam 
so INTENSE and TIGHT in years!!!!!  This Gin is a 9.6/10, easily.  Other 
Gins are longer (11/23/97), but dont contain the sheer emotion and 
creativity of this jam.  If you get no other set from 2000, get this for the 
Bathtub alone.  You will not be the least bit disappointed.  One of the top 
10 jams of all time.  FEEL IT!!!!!!!!!

Ryan Richards
soda_jerk@hotmail.com


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