Subject: NW tour in Review (so far)
From: Victor Szalvay 

Hi Everyone,
  OK, here it is just like I promised, the NW tour in review.  I was at
Spokane, Vancouver and Portland and took some detailed notes, etc, and
taped the shows as well so I have a good reference to check and see if I
am full of shit or not.  So here is what happened:

I came from Seattle, WA on I-90 heading for Spokane on Thursday night in
hopes of making it for the Friday Spokane show, I knew that there was a
pretty heavy ice storm and snow problems over there so I wanted to get a
jump on the drive over.  I had major problems getting there (mostly over
the Cascade mountain range passes) where (briefly) there was a jack-knifed
truck during the blizzard and I got a flat as well!!!  So, things were not
looking good, it was midnight and I was out in the middle of no where.  To
make a long story short, I didn't get to Spokane until the following day
at noon and it is only a 280 mile trip!  At this point I was hating life
and wanted to turn around and go home, this was insane!!!

Anyway, I made it to the show and set up for taping (thanks Don, for the
patch!) and here is what happened:

11/22/96 Spokane, WA
Cool venue, the lot scene was like the inside of a freezer, frosty and
cold!  Everyone was mellow and the crowd was minimal.  The doors opened
and I was in right away, there was only about 50 people inside right up
until around 7:00 pm!  It was a nice little arena, pretty cozy and not to
large.  The crowd that night was only maybe 7,000.  Very cool!

I
It's Ice:  I called this one, but I didn't actually think they would do
it, the implications were obvious, it was icier then hell outside and they
were having lots of fun!  Nothing too exciting though, they didn't get
into the jam for too long, but still a remarkable opener!

Runaway Jim:  Pretty groovy, I know this a newbie song, but it still jams
none the less.  My notes indicate that the jam was long and sweet, sounds
that way on the tapes too!  Pretty good version

Wolfman's Brother:  Awesome!  I was going to go to this one with my
brother so I thought of him and wished he was there... very good and nice
to hear.

Taste:  OK, I guess people like this one, but I can't get into it yet.  I
was surprised though to hear a great Page jam at the end, it was very
intricate and then Trey took over and extended it even more, pretty solid!

At this point, Trey stops and says thanks for coming through the cold and
ice and says that they too were here for the past few days and endured the
ice storm.  OK, I thought we were in for the bomb, because they really
appeared to be sympathizing with us and getting nice and buddy-buddy!  So,
I figured it was going to hit, and we Trey announces a "Tim O'brian" song"

Gingseng Sullivan:  (it is really by someone else, I guess) This was my
second one and it was cool... I heard the first acoustic, but this one had
its merits, nothing too exciting.

Sample In a Jar:  Good, nothing bad here, I am still doing OK, the crowd
is rocking!!

Fast Enought For You:  Cool to hear live.  I guess they don't do this too
often and it was my first.  Trey really pounded out a soulful jam and we
were flying!

>> Train Song: This would have been cool to hear, but there was a scuffle
between security and some people that was so loud we were afraid that it
would come out on the tapes!  Those bloody....

Cavern:  A great rocker, nothing special, the standard but still pretty
hot!

II
Down With Disease:  The jam just didn't stop on this one, what a moment,
if you are a fan, pick up this tape!

Prince Caspian:  Nice to hear, nothing special though.

Maze:  Whoa!! The jam this year IS really awesome.  This version was no
exception.  The place was on fire!@

Billy Breathes : I really wanted to hear this, such a beautiful
composition and I really thought they pulled it off brilliantly live.

>>Swept Away >> Steep:  Same as above, very nice and smooth!!!  I was into
it!

Character Zero:  Wow!  This one sure does rock.  I was getting a painful
feeling though... four BB songs in a row??  I don't know...

There FTB:  OK, that was the straw that broke the camel's back... I was a
little disapointed, but they were all nicely done!  

Slave:  Good but not that intense, I was on the way down...

Ragtime Gal:  Well, its a song, so thats good.  I guess I don't see the
magic there.

E:  Julius:  Nice, at the intro, Trey laughs with Page and looks to us and
says: "If you want to get down, down on the ground, Spokane!!!"  In the
melody of Cocaine, pretty sweet!  I was into this one, they did a great
job.  

Well, all in all, i was disapointed because I was expecting the bomb, but
it did't fall!  On to Vancouver...

 -- Victor Szalvay
---------------------------------------
Subject: Spokane show
From: Daniel M Eaton 


No real jams.  Too much from BB.  Ended first set with Cavern yet again.
Come on, guys, you can do better than that.

At least they didn't play Bouncin'.

Oh well, I guess Phish is allowed to play a really lame setlist every now
and again.  They played solidly, but give me a break, absolutely no risks 
in the song selection.  Sounds like they're playing more and more to the
teey-boppers these days.  Good thing they're not the only great band in
the world.

-Dan