From: tracer@carson.u.washington.edu (David P. Tracer)
Subject: Re: Oakland 11&12 observations
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 20:59:16 GMT

In article <lstein-161292094621@maca511.mv.us.adobe.com> lstein@adobe.com (Larry Stein) writes:
>In article <1992Dec15.190521.13939@ptdcs2.intel.com>,
>kstewart@ptdcs2.intel.com (Kent Stewart) wrote:
>> 
>      friends
>      and I have seen 250-300 shows and we are REAL picky.  Now don't get
>      me wrong, 12/12 (Sat.) had some truly great playing, but I did find
>      the second set somewhat disjointed.  "Man Smart" and "Miracle" are
>      not tunes I especially look forward to hearing the Boyz play.
>      Actually, I'm rather tired of "Miracle", particularly when it
>abruptly
>      begins out of some phenomenal Space.
>

Just some of my feelings about this-
I too am tired of "Man Smart" and "Miracle", but when the Boyz are playing
like they did on Saturday, they could play nursery rhymes and I'd still
love it.  The music was just phenomenal!!  Jack Straw wailed from the
outset.  In Bertha where Jerry has recently been doing just 1 or 2 rounds
of soloing during the musical break, he just went on & on!  Birdsong had a
PHIL SOLO for chrissake!!!  Darkstar also had incredible phil. 
Post-drumspace WAS kind of standard in terms of sond selection & Jerry did
botch a few of the words in Standing on the Moon, but the MUSIC was
absolutely moving!

>      And yes, indeed, Sunday's second set was EPIC.  "Here Comes Sunshine"
>      was great.  I thought "Long Way Home" was very good.  But everything
>      from "Victim or the Crime" through "Morning Dew" was brilliant.
>      Oh yes, I'm one of those who really likes the instrumental work in
>      "VOTC".  Any song that creates an outlet for the Boyz to go way
>      outside in their playing is just fine in my book.
>
>      And "Morning Dew" literally brought tears to my eyes.
>

Nothing but total agreement here.  If Saturday was phenomenal, Sunday was
monumental!!  Again, great touches from Phil (Has anyone mentioned that he
totally dropped the bomb on The Other One?)  I also thought that every
single member of the band shone that night - including (maybe
especially) Vince.  The 90's arrangement of Here Comes Sunshine is just
fantastic (better IMHO than the 70's version).  I'm absolutely falling in
love with "Long Way.." - I've loved VOTC for quite a while now and it just
keeps getting better & better (read: "spacier & spacier").

Anyway, after seeing a couple of tours where Jerry barely seemed to be at
the shows & I was getting extremely nervous about our future prospects,
these shows completely renewed my faith in the Boyz.
 
>      Bongo, you're not alone...
>
>      --larry

Can you tell I had a good time?
	************************************************************
        *                       David P. Tracer                    *
        *                  University of Washington                *
        *                   tracer@u.washington.edu                *
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        *               Is there anybody here but me,              *
        *                     who needs to know?                   *
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