Theme from the bottom review - 07-11-00 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN

Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2000 00:24:36 -0400
From: Harryman harryman@bellsouth.net
To: dws@archive.phish.net
Newsgroups: rec.music.phish
Subject: 7/11/00 Theme Review
 
Hello, and welcome back to the continuing saga of my reviews of Theme
From the Bottom. :). I had planned to do this pretty much at a steady
pace of one per week, but alas, the return to school put a damper and a
bit of a delay on things. Ok, I think I should explain why I chose this
version to review as it is the most recent, coming only 4 shows back
(not counting Austin City Limits)...Well, this is IMO the best show
Phish played this summer, and the most fun, the first set is truly
outstanding and the second set is a heaping mess of Moby Dick insanity.
Upon the first listen, this Theme stood out to me and beckoned me in for
continuous listenings. My opinion after about 3 listening was that it
was in my top 5, but as I have listened over and over and over I have
decided that the ending really lets me down, but I am ruining this for
you, so I will shut up with the introduction and just get to the review.
 
Set I (1:09): Ya Mar*, Moma Dance, Uncle Pen, Drowned > Chalkdust
Torture Reprise** > Chalkdust Torture, Theme from the Bottom, Cavern
Set II (1:19): Also Sprach Zarathustra > Down with Disease -> Moby Dick
> Down with Disease > Runaway Jim -> Moby Dick, Back on the Train -> Moby Dick
->
Back on the Train, Harry Hood*** -> Moby Dick, HYHU > Terrapin**** > HYHU >
Moby
Dick# > HYHU, Character Zer0
Encore (0:10): First Tube > Moby Dick>Chalkdust Reprise##
 
* - with Trey on keys
** - bizarre jam, with the words "Chalk Dust Torture" (not the song)
sung over it; lasted about 2 and a half minutes; previously played
12/10/94
*** - with glowsticks, and "Moby Dick" teases during the intro
**** - Jon introduced as "star of the film Gladiator, Russell Crowe";
with vacuum solo and Jon introducing the entire band and a small cactus
being put on stage and placed by Mike's amp, Trey introduces Chris
Kuroda
# - Trey drum solo and Jon vacuum solo during
## - reprise of the "Chalkdust Torture Reprise"; afterwards Trey hoped
everyone who is camping has a good time, announced that "We are the
Phish from Vermont" and suggested that if people missed anything that
they read the book or see the movie
 
Wow, anyone who looks upon that setlist for the first time and is not
struck with a sense of awe should be converted to the ways of the Phish.
This Theme comes after a smoking CDT, which itself comes on the heels of
a hilarious song, CDT Reprise. This show is serious fun. I said that
already, but hey, it really is. Ok.
 
Theme opens at 0:00, Page at 0:10, Mike at 0:32. I feed from the bottom
at 0:56, nothing especially noteworthy, though the harmonies do sound
nice. :). Chorus at 1:47, nice build, this is a soft one. Very peaceful.
Know who's your friend at 3:06. Really nice harmonies, Page is sounding
great.
 
The jam section begins with the typical noodling from Trey at 3:53, Mike
and Page are doing some off beats in here that I haven't noticed before.
4:22 Harry-ish chords. Nice fills by Fish at 4:36-4:43!!!! Trey and Page
seem to be gently going back and forth in this section, at a couple of
points, particularly 5:22-5:45 it sounds more like Trey is accentuating
Page's work moreso than the other way around. 6:25 Trey finds a little
theme he likes and continues to toy with it until 6:48, Page begins
comping very nicely, Mike and Fish are locked in.
 
7:20 Trey starts effects, Page is leading this jam in the background!!!
This is very very nice! Trey basically adds flourishes to the others
from this point on until the crescendo into From the bottom from the top
at 8:30! Page is really quite active and prominent! :). This one has
some intensity in it, but it also is one of the more mellow version I've
heard.
 
The ending is almost horrible. The crescendo is supposed to come out of
From the bottom and does. Sort of. At 9:02 everyone comes back in full
on, but Trey can't get it straight at 9:09 when he is supposed to be
chording and Fish notices immediately and starts the cymbals to ride it
out at 9:12 and it's basically over at 9:22 for everyone besides Fish
who is still hitting the crash cymbals, and does so until 9:32 and then
begins Cavern. The ending is most disappointing and is the only bad
feature here. I mean it really really sucks. The first times I listened
I don't know what I was thinking, but somehow that ending got passed me.
 
Total time: 9:32. Meaningless rating: B-/C+. This one has great
potential, and comes in an intense set, but it is rather mellow, which
doesn't seem to fit in this set, or this show. In 6/25/00 this would
have been perfect, because that show is really laid back and full of
delay effects. The ending really bugs me now. Thanks for reading.
Peace,
Dave
5/21/88 Hood!! It's cut after Harry, but hey, this is an essential
version!


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