From: Charlie Dirksen
10/28/95  The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI

Good show, but I still liquidated it.  (after dubbing this YEM onto a
mix..)

Around 2 mins, in the pre-Nirvana segment, Trey repeatedly and
preciously sings something like "Close the barn maaa.. momma is
waiting for you..." (a person named Pen. suggested that Trey was
singing "Lost my mind... my mind is waiting for me.." which could be
it)  He sings this a few times.  The only other place that I have
heard this melody/theme/tease? on tape is 5/14/88.  On 5/14/88, before
the YEM, shortly after mentioning Marley's presence ("Who is she?"),
and then getting someone named Laura's attention, Trey sings what
sounds like "Hold(?) the mar mar, the mar mar is waiting for me."  I
guess it is a melody for Marley, or something (and yes, what Trey
sings before the 5/14/88 YEM really has the same _melody_ as what he
sings in the pre-Nirvana segment of this 10/28/95 YEM.. but the
5/14/88 "version" is much quicker and shorter and more silly than the
mysterious 10/28/95 "version")   This 10/28/95 theme is quite
beautiful... Closest thing to this would be breaking out "Jerusalim
Shel Zahov" in this segment, which has been done.  Cool opening..

"Nirvana" at 3:30.  Mike's solo section is spooky and dark... not that
great a segue into the pre-charge jam segment, though.  Jamming around
the Notes is good.. nothing stellar.

"Boy" at 6:55.  Trey belts out BMGS... and the WUDMTF segment is very
powerful.  Lots o' energy!!

The trampolines jam starts around 9:05, with Mike funking out the
signals, so I figure tramps were employed in here (the audience noise
also suggests tramps).  Page's jamming is very, very mellow, with
nothing especially impressive.  Notably, Trey sustains a bit...
Nothing much, but he wasn't totally dead.. an OK tramps jam.

At 10:42, the jam segment begins, with Mike looooow on the 'doc
funking along, and Trey noodling passionately, with some well-placed
sustain, and eerie licks.  The jam Trey gets into around 11:30 sounds
frighteningly familiar.. (prior to his teasing of Oye Como Va's jam
segment ten seconds later).  I think some of these chords he used in
the Albany YEM, frankly! (12/9/95)  Only for a few seconds, though..

By 12:20, Trey is still thematically jamming about the Oye Como Va
theme, with some genuinely Santana-esque licks.  Just outright Oye
Como Va teasing in here, but with some very pleasant improvisational
efforts from Trey at points.  Again with the strict Oye Como Va theme
around 13:30.  Fiery jamming from everyone around 14 mins in the
climax, but honestly, nothing teary-eyed or especially awe-inspiring,
in my opinion. Fantastic Phish nonetheless, with some passionate
noodling from Trey to close it out (and again with the Oye Como Va
theme..).  Oye Como Va fans *NEED* to check this out!!

At 15:08, it is bass and drums time.. sounds like Trey jumped to his
Fisher Price percussion kit.  Yep.  Mike's funking is siiiiiiiiiiick,
folks.. Mike grooves out heavily, and lays out some PHAAAAAAT,
melodious noodles.  Fish's accompaniment is great, taboot.. =^]  And
it just doesn't end!!! =^]  Mike is tearing up the place! =^]  =^]
What a damn bass and drums segment!!  man... what a treat!!!  Mike is
just plugging away, STILL, around 17:15!!!!  MIKE!!! COME BACK MAN!!!
COME BACK!!!!  DAMN!!!!  Higher.. higher.. Mike climbs up the 'doc for
a dramatic close!!!!  YEAH!!!! Trey adds some crazy effects in here,
too, it sounds like.. but doesn't crowd Mike. Damn, what a bass and
drums segment!!  Highly recommended!!!!!

18:01 the final WUDMTF segment kicks in, with some crazy effects from
Trey and screams from Fish.. ;^)  There's a touch of that weird
Indian-esque wind instrument sound.. (not a sitar or tamboura or
anything like that..).. I've heard that sound before in a Phish jam
somewhere.  Maybe our resident Indian instrument expert, Darius
Zelkha, would like to chime in about what this sound sounds like. :)

This vocal jam is similar to 10/31/95 in many ways, frankly.. very
choirboy-like and not small furry creatures.. not much of a vocal
"jam" in this sense.. ;) I won't be dubbing THIS onto the mix.. some
eerie screaming at times, though... not to mention some gurgling
death-noises. SCREAMING ENDING!! More death noises!! 22:42 total
time.  Kinda just ENDS, though.. as if they weren't really sure..
[Note:  Terry Weadock submits that they sing Quaaaaaaaadrooooopheee
eeenniiiiiiiaaaaaa in this vocal jam..]

Very good YEM.. definitely above average, and I'd have to recommend
it. An enjoyable, strange Pre-Nirvana jam, great jam segment and bass
and drums..  B+/A- rating.

two cents
charlie