Subject: Easter from Hell: Drinking 10/31/89 Gin
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 19:44:39 -0500 (EST)
From: benjy eisen
BathtubGinFiles #20 10/31/89 Sculpture Room; Goddard College; Plainfield, VT
GinStats: Set I Time: 6:19 A song that was just *made* to be played on Halloween and yet, of all the annual Halloween gigs Phish have played (nine, I believe - starting in '86 and skipping only '92 and '93...right?), this is the only 'ween where they played Gin. (btw this show also features a phaaatt Antelope->Kung->Antelope). The Gin starts at 0:00 with a short false-stop around 0:14->0:16 complete with a touch of something funky. Page jumps in at 0:19->0:54 At first just being his usual, enthusiastic, spastic self...then towards the end of this extended spotlight he reverts back to his lifelong friend and drinking buddy George Gershwin (and the Rhapsody in Blue crew). Btw they're endorsed here by Gordon's Gin...that's "Gordon's Gin" - not to be confused with Gordon's Gin, Inc. Lyrics Segment: 0:54 Page Fill 1: 1:27 -> 1:45 and is dashing, splashing and revelling in Rhapsody blankets of blue, with just a dash of Witches Brew. Fill 2: 2:19 -> 2:27 Pure Rhapsody. Straight up, y'all. FAUCET: 2:44 Not flawless, but there are much worse ones out there. Generally there are two ways that Trey plays this: Either the Classical Gin Sustain or the Alternative Staccato Method. This time he first goes with the sustain, but (as is typical) as soon as some minor flaws and early decays show-up, he quickly switches to staccato to compensate. SINGING W/THE FAUCET: 3:30 and boy have their voices come a long way since this show! Page continues to play Rhapsody licks in-between and underneath. WATER FROM THE FAUCET: 4:48 coming in first with the Classic Faucet Lick (CFL) and then at 5:07, while it's still CFL, it sounds as if Trey's just dying to reach out, break out but he doesn't know how quite yet so he just fucks around with the rhythm of the lick, but keeps almost exclusively to the establiblished notes w/in the CFL domain. "BATHTUB GIN" REFRAIN starts at 5:3something and continuing onward, while Trey relentlessly repeats the CFL, Fish and Mike keeping straitaways and Page, barely audible, either going with it, or else quoting Gershwin again. After the 6min. mark, Mike pratically pleads "Bathtub Gin" and after 6:10 at some point it sounds like it's going to be the ending, but then immediately after Mike is joined by Trey for what turns out to really be the final "Bathtub GIN" refrain... This bottle of Gin is emptied, the song is brought to a close and life temporarily returns back to normal. ENDS AT 6:19 with an immediate transition into Possum. The two overlap enough to merit a ">" although not enough to warrant "->" for all you setlist scorekeepers. Rating: 68 Proof The song still hasn't been able to bust out of its established mode, and hence it is like the way some of us view a Theme From The Bottom or a Character Zero today...that is, it's a great song that they play quite well, but its full potential and maturity has yet to be explored; the structure has yet to be tinkered with and the WFTF has yet to come unto its own improvisational area. However as early as this version, the beginning is getting better and better as is their playing on the whole. This Gin is approaching what is now given "average - typically great" Gin honors, but still just a Mississipi half-step (and quarter tone) away..... For a Halloween show this is definately a trick as well as a treat :) Walk with Fright, Benjy :) ...or else walk into the Vibration of Death, har har har :)