From: Charlie Dirksen
12/31/89 Boston World Trade Center Exhibition Hall, Boston, MA Thanks again for this tape, Yance, which you warned me was hideous (and I cannot disagree). FWIW, imo, any tape that has hiss so prominent that you can hear it at all times -- even in the "loudest" of jams -- is B- at best. I don't care if it is a SBD or an AUD. FISH: "Is everybody on vacation or what?" TREY: "Well, it's New Year's Eve right now, soo.." PAGE: "Happy New Year's Eve!!" After 22 seconds of a schwag (but amusing and light-hearted) frolic with the 'Auld Lang Syne' theme, Mike's Song starts up.. rather upbeat, too. The highlight of the opening is The Hiss, which is definitely more prominent than any members of the band. Mike nevertheless appears happy to be singing his song yet again. ;-) In all fairness, though, Fish seems more active than usual in this opening, fwiw. "Tramps" segment starts up at 2:56. Just Mike and Page, pursuant to Ye Olde Format.. nothun much from them (as usual for routine Olde versions). Trey comes in within 40 seconds sustaining rather off-key, as usual, also pursuant to Ye Olde Format. Yes, yes, well.. this "jam segment" is one, for all intents and purposes, that you've heard if you've heard even a handful of pre-90 Mike's Songs. Closing Mike's chords around 5:30 or so, after an extraordinarily plebeian, olde Mike's Song. I'm honestly brought nearly to tears of JOY upon considering how much this song has improved (imo) !!!!!! Hydrogen segues in immediately at 5:55 or so, and has some fret-work from Trey at first (in time with the rhythm). Standard, well-played Hydrogen.. (oh, sweet Hydrogen.. BUT WHERE'S LEPRECHAUN!?) Niiiice bass from Mike to open the Weekapaug, though rather repetitive.. Trey's soloing after the initial lyrics is quite active. He seems more interested in Lettin Her Rip than in mellifluously charming the crowd, though, imo (repetitive, but very sweeet). In a sense, I wish he would solo like this more often, especially in the midst of jam segments which could really use a kick (like Suzy, Caspian, Contact, Mango, etc.), even though I'm sure he doesn't find such 'doc smacking at all challenging. Sho sounds good to me.. decent climax.. Textbook Olde Version, though, honestly (as Yance told me it would be). Closing segment around 13:15 or so... it is standard as well. Ye Olde MikeSGroove gets a solid "C" from me.. I liked the Weekapaug, all things considered.. two cents schwagmeister420 p.s. The only time I've ever heard Trey sneeze is during the 12/30/89 Gin.. he sneezes in the midst of singing the lyrics to it. (I really don't know of any other time _any_ bandmember has audibly sneezed into a mic at a show, actually) I think I'll put this sneeze on as filler somewhere... over and over and over again.. ;)