Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 14:12:57 -0700 From: Eric Launder Subject: 9-27-95 Cal Expo set list, review I haven't seen a post for the list yet...sorry about some of the song names I didn't get. These were songs I believe are new since summer tour. Set One: Wolfman's Bro, Rift, Free, It's Ice, I Didn't Know, Another Taste*, Strange Design, Chalkdust, Squirming Coil Set Two: short instrumental tune, AC/DC Bag, Bowie, Limb by Limb?, Keyboard Army, Hood@, Hello My Baby, Day in the Life E: Possum *this song was introduced by Trey as something like, "Here's a song some of you may think you know, but really don't." The song was basically Taste with a little bit different intro and with Fish singing while playing drums. Don't really remember what the vocals were, but he sang like three verses and then they went into the "I can see through the light" part of Taste and the whole end jam part. I like the original Taste better. They also soundchecked most of this song. @UNFINISHED...talk about a buzz kill, they started building up and were starting to climax toward the "You can feel good" part, but Trey said something to Mike and Mike passed it to Fish and then Trey started just playing this one note really loud and they basically ended the song there, came out and sang the acapella tune I haven't heard, but some people around me seemed to recognize. Had a little foreshadowing of the events to come... driving to Cal Expo through farm land we came across a sign that said: HOOD Next Left My friend and I made the obvious comments about how great that would be. Then we made a comment about how bad the cow shit stank. Well, we got the Hood but we got the stink too. It started as a great version...very tight and creative...good interaction and patience during the begining part. The vocals and middle section were good and the jam started promissing, BUT to not finish Hood is like, is like, um...er well imagine something that you usually associate with climax and imagine not being allowed to finish... Other thoughts: Wolfman's Brother- great opener, a total surprise. Not one of my favorites off Hoist but very well played with cool harmonies, a great chunky rhythm, and all around good vibes. Never heard it live before...gives me a new found appreciation of the song. Free- very cool song...does the middle jam remind anyone else of the chordal changes of Victim or the Crime. Kind of crime to compare the two songs I know, but the jam has that same dark, creepy quality. I Didn't Know- always fun. Boy, Fish must have taken some Trombone lessons. He played great. Usually he just blows and screws around, but he actually sounded great...no sour notes and lots of intricate high stuff...A+ Chalkdust- rocks period...the first song of the night to get my blood pumping Coil- sloppy, but always a welcome tune AC/DC- great sounding through the vocals...when they got to the jam, they started on this sort of disjointed rhythm that sounded cool but they couldn't really pull it back to the breakneck speed the song usually ends on...they tried but never really made it. Bowie- probably the highlight of the evening. Fairly short, but very engrossing jam. Kind of a smooth spacey start that became more and more intense with a fairly typical ending. new song?- kind of boring, interesting chord progression, but a blah chorus. At the end everyone came over to Page's side of the stage and each played a different keyboard. It was this repetitive sort of one chord thing with no real melody. Possum- solid, Trey had some cool sounds he was using (not MIDI or other overly processed stuff)...just some sweet tones during the begining quiet part of the jam. The Bottom Line: show was definitely towards the bottom on my ratings list, BUT I'd take it over the best show any other band could muster. Seems like the energy level at Expo was fairly low, but the sound was great, they guys seemed to be havin' a great time and it was the first show back. Comments welcome and hopefully someone will fill in the names of a couple of those new? songs. ============================================================================ Eric Launder Livingston Enterprises e-mail: eric@livingston.com 6920 Koll Center Parkway #220 tel: 510-426-0770 Pleasanton, CA 94566 fax: 510-426-8951 http://www.livingston.com ============================================================================
From: augustc@uclink4.berkeley.edu Subject: 9-27-95 Cal Expo Experience (longish) Hi all-- just thought that I'd share a few of my impressions from the tour opener last night. All I can say was, I really feel sorry for every person on earth who didn't see the second set of this one. The first set was a little flat, and the sound was lousy. The PA was crackling during Page's solo at the end of Coil. The boys themselves seemed a little flat, I actually heard Trey mess up the line a few times, and all together they just weren't totally in sync. However, they did play three new ones; Free, (which sounded a whole lot tighter compared to Red Rocks) Fog that Surrounds, (another rad jam here) and Strange Design (very slow at the beginning, with only Page playing/ singing). Even a little off-kilter, the boys managed to put together a rad first set. However, the second set was where it was at. I'm firmly convinced that they all went backstage and blazed during the set break, 'cos they came out and played a truly amazing set. Starting with an insturmental that nobody had ever heard, they went into a rockin 8 minute AC/DC bag, and segued into a Bowie which words cannot describe. Undoubtably the sickest Bowie that i've ever heard. Then another new one whose name I don't know, (softly sing, sing softly was the chorus) Then Page started playing this repetitive piece and Trey, Mike, and Fish walked, robot-like, around the stage to join Page at the keyboards. All four of them squeezed into Page's area, and with Page at the grand, Fish on the synth, Mike on the Goff and Trey on the electric piano and played either one long piece with a break in it, or two short pieces (I couldn't hear any connection between them, but I could easily be mistaken). Then they all returned to their respective insturments and started talking amongst themselves about which song to play. I yelled HOOD, HOOD, at the top of my lungs, and guess what started? It gave me chills. What a beautiful song. They never played the finale, tho (you can feel good, etc.) instead Trey set his delay and they all walked out front to do an acoustic vocal song (outdoors! in a huge space!!) while Trey's delay faded out. Some sound guy (not a member of the crew) came out and said something to Trey, who then put the mike out in front. I don't know the title of the song that they sang, but I sure that many know it (hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal, etc.) Then, a Beatles song, and not just any Beatles song, but A Day in the Life!!! Unbefuckingleviable. They all came out quickly for the encore (always a good sign) and launched into a Possum that made me forget about the whole second set (no mean feat, let me assure you). Boy, I was so high from that music (and I don't just mean drugs high) that it's going to take me a couple to recover. See you at Shoreline! Come find me and I'll lay a tape on you! I have blonde/brown (bleached) hair and a beard, and if you can find me with only that description to go on, I'll be happy to hand over my best set. Keep Phishin! august augustc@uclink4.berkeley.edu