From: Charlie Dirksen
8/7/93 Darien Lake Performing Arts Ctr. Darien Ctr., NY (Rvwd 9/95)
This is one hell of a SHOW, folks, even though
this MikeS is only so-so. Definitely a must-have SHOW, by most accounts.
There's rollercoaster narration in the first-set
Forbin's (not to mention Makisupa out of Stash). And, well, the second
set's list is equally odd. The La Grange (E) should be
sufficient, though, to compel you to get this show. The MikeS is totally
straightforward in the opening. When the tramps segment
starts after 2 and a half mins or so (as usual), Mike and Page are
grooving verrry loooow and funkily before Trey comes in with
the usual kinda off-key sustained and somewhat distorted licks (this
is how the tramps segment usually opens, if you haven't
gathered this already). Although the jam picks up a little around 4
mins, it doesn't really go anywhere. The tramps segment really
contains nothing impressive AT ALL. To be fair, Trey gets interesting
in the last 30 seconds of the tramps jam (he actually
jams), but it is nothing that special given his talents. The post-tramps
segment starts around 5, and gets weirder, wilder, and
crazier as it "develops." This is not to say that it is "pleasing"
to listen to; it tends on the more dissonant than melodic side (for
damn sure), and is actually quite repetitive in the first minute. It
is long, though! By 7 and a half, the jam is still banging along,
with everyone just kinda playing stuff. It doesn't sound like anyone
is really listening to anyone else (it is just so damn peculiar).
After the 8 min point, the jam kinda calms down, getting very repetitive
and laid back. Page teases the "Start spreading the
news.." (New York) tune around 8 and a half. At 9 mins, Trey starts
playing some tune which sounds familiar to me but I
couldn't possibly name it (it is NOT Leprechaun). If this is something
he just made up then I'm impressed. It sounds, though,
maybe, like some Irish folk tune (or something). Mike comes in on it,
too. It ends soon, though. REPEAT: IT IS NOT
LEPRECHAUN!!!!! After the 10 min mark, the "jam" is incredibly spacey,
with staccato plucking away from Trey. There's an
AW FUCK signal at 10:40 ish. Then an OOM PAH PAH signal twenty seconds
later. And then KUNG begins. Kung is done
in its entirety. Rich in minerals. Kung. Rich in verth. Kang well in
Martinland. Well we kell a pedestal. Vermin forth nair vermin
vifth. Forever around we kell. Be ever so voraciously alternate. We
call upon your balt. Can we stand. Can we stare. We can
stage a runaway golf cart marathon. Stand up. Stand up. Stand up on
your heels and call "From the hills. From the hills. From
the hills." Then Fish kicks the MikeS beat back in, and the final MikeS
theme chorus comes in. My kung translation no doubt
contains spelling and other errors, but it is phonetically what I heard.
If you know the "proper" lyrics to Kung, I'm sure it would
amuse people if you posted them. NOW. Are they written in stone? Has
the band verified the spelling of certain words, like
'verth'? Anyway, the MikeS ending jam is typically great, no different
than usual. This MikeS -> Kung -> MikeS was 15:15
total time. No Weekapaug. TMWSIY comes after the MikeS. C for this
MikeS. It is long and weird, with a Kung in it, not to
mention two signals, but I just don't like these "jams" AT ALL. It
is Phish improv at its lamest, imo. I wouldn't want anyone I
was trying to impress with Phish to hear this. Sorry. Just being honest
(and I really love Kung, too..). I really am sorry. I just
don't even think this sounds nearly as good as the 'average' MikeS.
two cents dirk420