Theme from the bottom review - 05-16-95 Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, MA

Date: Sun, 06 Aug 2000 01:39:26 -0400
From: Harryman harryman@bellsouth.net
Subject: 5/16/95 Theme From the Bottom
 
Hello everyone! Wow, I got a huge amount of positive response from the
last one of these (the first one) and am now about to take you back to
5/16/95 at the Voters for Choice Benefit concert in Lowell, MA. This
show contains the debuts of 10 songs, including Theme From the Bottom
(plus, as Trey says just before starting Reba, "and a couple old ones").
On to the review!
 
5/16/95 Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, MA
Don't You Wanna Go*, Ha Ha Ha*-> Spock's Brain*, Strange Design*, Reba,
Theme From the Bottom*, HYHU-> Lonesome Cowboy Bill*-> HYHU, Free*,
Glide II*-> You Enjoy Myself, Sweet Adeline, Sample in a Jar
 
E: I'll Come Running*-> Gloria*#
 
0:00 This Theme comes after a strong Reba, which has gotten much praise
itself. Being new this one starts with the piano notes and the hihat
starts immediately after Page (who flubs a note, but is forgiven). 0:20
Mike comes in. "I feed from the bottom, you feed from the top" at 0:42.
(Page is hardly noticeable singing twin lead.) Chorus starts at 1:38 and
the noodling begins. Settles at 1:56: verse 2. "Know who's your friend"
at 3:00. Here Trey is almost all alone in building this jam into
something, nice fills by Jon starting at 3:32, Page does some nice chord
work in here. Mike is pretty much laid back. Trey really starts to build
up some intensity and Jon adds a nice fill at 4:27. Again Trey finds
himself a low groove and begins to toy with it at 4:45 or so. By 5:11
the Hood sounding noodling start getting you into this jam (even if
you've been listening to it for 2 and a half hours straight as I have).
Really nice stuff at 6:03 by everyone! Trey is starting to really find
himself on this one! Starts noodling higher on the 'doc only to go lower
almost immediately around 6:42-7:10 back and forth. Trill at 7:32. Page
is doing the chords that bring this one back down from a nice plateau of
energy. "From the Bottom/From the Top" at 8:16, this section is a little
flubbed with Jon using the crash cymbal just as Mike and Trey start
their harmonies. Drumbeat re-enters at 8:37. Trey comes back in at 8:59.
Crescendo never really comes back on this one, though it keeps sounding
liek it will. Over at 10:37. HYHU starts up at 10:45. They really start
building again at the end, but Jon never just comes back fully into it
liek it sounds like he ought to. He stays on the cymbals but does not
use the kick drum, nor does he utilize the snare. I realize that this
was the first live performance of this song at a public show, and it had
evolved in the time between then and 12/7/97 (the previous review, which
scored a perfect 10 out of 10), but I still don't think it is near the
level of that one. By all means this is a great version, but the passion
and intensity seems lacking. Meanignless and totally subjective grade:
B, 8.0 out of 10. The show overall is a must have. Again all comments
are welcomed and appreciated! The next review is 7/11/00, though recent,
I think is quite worthy of being reviewed as I found myself entranced by
it upon the first listen. This is a horrible place to do this, but I am
in need of 10/24/95 set II which I used to own, but cannot find anywhere
and remember the Theme being particularly tasty :)! If you can help me I
would be most appreciative. Thanks for reading!
Peace,
Dave
6/11/94 set I (that's all I have to say)


hits (many)