From cdirksen@earthlink.net Sat Sep 12 23:35:40 1998
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 22:48:19 GMT
From: cdirksen@earthlink.net
To: dan@netspace.org
Newsgroups: rec.music.phish
Subject: 3/2/97 Copenhagen YEM

3/2/97 Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, Denmark

Very high quality DAUDs of this show circulate on Schoeps. (easy "A"
imo)

This version of YEM drags.  This will be a half-assed "review" as a
result.  The band is clearly tired (this is the tour closing encore),
the audience is tired, and I'm tired.

Opening drags.. Trey still manages to nail the Notes and jam well
around them, though.

"Boy" at 6:50 after a tired scream from Trey.  BMGS/WUDMTF segment is
tired. (ok.. mellow)  Page plays some groovy stuff on the clav, keys
and piano in here, though..   Tramps jam at 9:10.  Mike appears to
signal for the tramps moves, but the audience doesn't sound to into
it, until it's over (applause).  Good soloing from Page.. but nothing
ferocious.  Very, very lethargic feel to this YEM.  It sounds
exhausted.

Jam segment basically begins at around 10:45 or so.  Very patient,
mellow.  Trey solos gently, repeating a melody that's close to the
descending MLBody progression (see Roget).  Damn is this YEM
tired-sounding.  BIG YAWN. (12:09)  Very soft groove.. almost nothing
going on around 12:20.  Trey starts quietly soloing around 12:30, but
he's still not playing much at all.  Very soft.  Audience is
respectfully quiet (or exhausted, too!).  Trey starts repeating a
lick. jam is still very quiet around 13:30.. damn near dead. Very
un-inspired... picks up a wee bit at 14 minutes, but not much.  Fish,
mind you, is also only steadily keeping the groove.  Nothing fierce.
This whole jam is just plain MELLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOW.  Perhaps the most
all-around tired, mellow YEM I've ever heard.  Isn't it going to go
anywhere?

Picks up a bit more around 15:15.. gets a little louder, too.  Trey is
still just tooling around.  Accompaniment is there.. it just isn't at
all forceful.  Gets increasingly louder.. slowly.  Trey teases
something around 16 minutes that sounds familiar but I can't place it.
(might just be something I've heard him play in YEM before, and not a
tease of another tune.. but I think it's a tease)

Anyway, by 16:38, the jam has picked up, but it is still MASSIVELY
DRAGGING in my opinion.  Very slow YEM by 1997 standards.  I suppose
this is the "dramatic finale" (17:15), but nothing much happens.  This
is really not very passionate.. I suppose Trey's playing is beautiful
in here (17:40).. Jam picks up a little bit more around 18 minutes,
but there's still not much going on.

And then at 18:14 Trey just starts chording along.  Rhythm guitar
Trey.  I suppose this is the B&D segment.  But Mike isn't really doing
anything at all.  Just repeating this boring lick, which everyone
accompanies in an equally lethargic manner.  YAWN.

Is this THE ANTI-YEM!???????!?  THE UN-YEM!?!?????  THE NON-YEM!????

Dies out to almost nothing at around 19:48.  That's right.  Almost
dead silence... then quiet vocal jamming, which increases in volume in
an ominously repetitive manner.  SKELTON becomes audible.  Vocal
jamming on SKELTON, as in Amy Skelton naturally. =^]  Skellllton..
Skellllton.. SKELLLLLTON... SKELLLTON....SKELLLLLLLLTONNNNNNN.  Not
much of a vocal jam. Total time 21:25.  Definitely one of the lamest
YEM's I've heard, all things considered, in the last few years.  I
feel cheap even giving it a C+.

two cents
charlie