The Phish.Net
 Phish.Review.Net Mike's Groove Reviews
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The Phish.Review.Net:
Mike's Groove Reviews
|
The Phish.Net
Phish.Review.Net Mike's Groove Reviews
|
The Phish.Review.Net:
Mike's Groove Reviews
5-3-85 Last Day Party at UVM, Redstone Campus, Burlington, VT
10-17-85 Finbar's, Burlington, VT
??-??-86
02-03-86 Hunt's, Burlington, VT
10-15-86 Hunt's, Burlington, VT
12-06-86 The Mead Ranch, Shelburne, VT
08-21-87 Ian McLean's Farm, Hebron, NY
03-??-88
07-23-88 Pete Danforth's House (Fabulous Phish Fest), Underhill, VT
07-24-88 Nectar's, Burlington, VT
10-29-88 Goddard College, Plainfield, VT
03-24-89 Paradise, Boston, MA
04-14-89 Johnson State College, Johnson, VT
04-15-89 Billings Hall - University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
04-20-89 Humphries House (The Zoo) - UMass., Amherst, MA
05-09-89 The Front, Burlington, VT
05-20-89 Northfield Mt. Hermon School, Northfield, MA
05-28-89 Ian McLean's Farm, Hebron, NY
10-26-89 The Wetlands Preserve, New York City, NY
11/02/89 UNH Durham, NH
12-09-89 Huden Dining Hall - Castleton State College, Castleton, VT
12-31-89 Boston World Trade Center Exhibition Hall, Boston, MA
03-01-90 Toad's Place, New Haven, CT
04-18-90 Herman's Hideaway, Denver, CO
04-22-90 Cutler Quad - Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
06-05-90 Cat's Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC
06-16-90 Townshend Family Park, Townshend, VT
09-13-90 The Wetlands Preserve, New York City, NY
10-30-90 El Dorado Cafe, Crested Butte, CO
11-02-90 Glenn Miller Ballroom, U. of Colorado, Boulder, CO
11-04-90 Fort Ram Nightclub, Fort Collins, CO
11-16-90 Campus Club, Providence, RI
11-24-90 Capitol Theater, Port Chester, NY
11-30-90 Colonial Theater, Keene, NH
02-08-91 Portsmouth Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH
02-28-91 Sarrat Theater - Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
03-15-91 Gothic Theater, Denver, CO
03-17-91 Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, CO
04-11-91 The Cave, Carleton College, Northfield, MN
04-21-91 SUNY Potsdam, Potsdam, NY
04-27-91 Capitol Theater, Port Chester, NY
05-10-91 Student Center - Colby College, Waterville, ME
05-12-91 The Front, Burlington, VT
07-11-91 Battery Park, Burlington, VT
07-15-91 The Academy, New York City, NY
07-21-91 Arrowhead Ranch, Parksville, NY
07-23-91 The Bayou, Washington, DC
10-10-91 EMU Ballroom - University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
10-18-91 The Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
11-01-91 Gothic Theater, Denver, CO
11-8-91 Ivory Tusk, Tuscaloosa, AL
11-12-91 Georgia Theater, Athens, GA
11-21-91 Somerville Theater, Somerville, MA
12-31-91 Worcester Memorial Auditorium, Worcester, MA
03-17-92 Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC
03-20-92 The Forum, Binghamton, NY
04-13-92 After the Gold Rush, Tempe, AZ
04-16-92 Anaconda Theater - UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA
04-19-92 The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA
04-21-92 Redwood Acres Fairgrounds, Eureka, CA
04-29-92 First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
05-01-92 The Rave at Central Park, Milwaukee, WI
05-03-92 Michigan State University Union Ballroom, East Lansing, MI
5-18-92 Flynn Theater, Burlington, VT
08-17-92 The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA
11-23-92 Broome County Forum, Binghamton, NY
11-28-92 Capitol Theater, Port Cheater, NY
12-29-92 Palace Theater, New Haven, CT
12-31-92 Matthews Arena - Northeastern U, Boston, MA
02-04-93 Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence, RI
02-06-93 Roseland Ballroom, New York City, NY
02-11-93 Haas Center for the Arts, Bloomsburg, PA
02-15-93 Memorial Hall - UNC, Chapel Hill, NC
02-20-93 Roxy Theater, Atlanta, GA
02-27-93 Florida Theater, Gainesville, FL
03-05-93 Deep Ellum Lodge, Dallas, TX
03-19-93 Greek Theater - University of Redlands, Redlands, CA
03-22-93 Crest Theater, Sacramento, CA
03-25-93 Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz, CA
03-27-93 Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA
3-30-93 Hilton Ballroom, Eugene, OR
04-10-93 Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL
04-16-93 Macauley Theater, Louisville, KY
04-18-93 Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI
04-21-93 Newport Music Hall, Columbus, OH
04-23-93 Reed Athletic Center - Colgate U., Hamilton, NY
04-29-93 Le Spectrum, Montreal, QC, Canada
05-01-93 Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
05-06-93 Palace Theater, Albany, NY
05-08-93 UNH Fieldhouse, Durham, NH
07-17-93 The Filene Center at Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA
07-24-93 Great Woods, Mansfield, MA
07-31-93 Masquerade Music Park, Atlanta, GA
08-02-93 The Ritz Theater, Tampa, FL
08-07-93 Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY
08-11-93 Club Eastbrook, Grand Rapids, MI
08-13-93 Murat Theater, Indianapolis, IN
08-16-93 American Theater, St. Louis, MO
08-24-93 Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC, Canada
12-30-93 Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME
04-06-94 The Masonic Temple, Toronto, ON, Canada
04-09-94 Broome County Arena, Binghamton, NY
04-18-94 Bob Carpenter Center - University of Delaware, Newark, DE
04-21-94 Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC
04-29-94 Boatyard Village, Clearwater, FL
05-02-94 Five Points South Music Hall, Birmingham, AL
05-14-94 Montezuma Hall - San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
05-27-94 Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA
06-09-94 Triad Amphitheater, Salt Lake City, UT
06-17-94 Eagles Auditorium, Milwaukee, WI
06-22-94 Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, OH
07-02-94 Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ
07-10-94 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY
10-08-94 Patriot Center - George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
10-21-94 Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, FL
10-25-94 Atlanta Civic Center, Atlanta, GA
11-04-94 Onondaga War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, NY
11-16-94 Hill Auditorium - U. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
11-25-94 UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL
11-30-94 Campus Rec. Center - Evergreen College, Olympia, WA
12-28-94 Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, PA
12-31-94 Boston Garden, Boston, MA
06-10-95 Red Rocks Ampitheater, Morrison, CO
06-20-95 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
06-25-95 The Mann Music Center, Philadelphia, PA
06-30-95 Great Woods Amphitheatre, Mansfield, MA
09-30-95 Shoreline Ampitheatre, Mountain View, CA
10-11-95 Compton Terrace, Phoenix, AZ
10-25-95 St. Paul Civic Center, St. Paul, MN
11-11-95 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
11-15-95 Sundome, Tampa, FL
11-21-95 Lawrence Joel Coliseum, Winston Salem, NC
11-25-95 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
12-01-95 Hershey Park Arena, Hershey, PA
12-07-95 Niagara Falls Convention Center, Niagara Falls, NY
12-16-95 Olympic Center, Lake Placid, NY
12-31-95 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
07-12-96 The Melkweg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
07-23-96 Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany
08-05-96 Red Rocks Ampitheater, Morrison, CO
08-13-96 Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN
08-16-96 Plattsburgh Air Force Base (The Clifford Ball), Plattsburgh, NY
10-22-96 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
10-29-96 Leon County Civic Center, Tallahassee, FL
11-06-96 Civic Coliseum, Knoxville, TN
11-08-96 Assembly Hall, Champaign, IL
11-15-96 Kiel Center, St. Louis, MO
11-23-96 Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC, Canada
12-04-96 Sports Arena, San Diego, CA
12-06-96 Aladdin Theatre, Las Vegas, NV
12-28-96 The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
03-01-97 Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany
07-22-97 Walnut Creek Amphitheatre, Raleigh, NC
07-31-97 Shoreline Ampitheatre, Mountain View, CA
08-09-97 Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI
11-13-97 Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
11-22-97 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
12-02-97 Corestates Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
12-09-97 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA
12-13-97 Pepsi Arena, Albany, NY
12-31-97 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
4-3-98 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
6/30/98 Grey Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark
7/10/98 Zeleste, Barcelona, Spain
7/17/98 Gorge Amphitheater, George, Washington
7/21/98 Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ
8/1/98 Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI
8-7-98 Walnut Creek Amphitheater, Raleigh, NC
8-12-98 Vernon Downs Race Track, Vernon, NY
08/15/98 Lemonwheel, Loring AFB, Limestone, ME
10/31/98 Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
11/7/98 UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL
11/21/98 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA
11-27-98 Worcester Centrum, Worcester, MA
7-4-99 Lakewood Amphitheatre, Atlanta, Georgia
7-9-99 Merriweather Post Pavillion, Columbia, MD
7-16-99 PNC Bank Arts Ctr., Holmdel, NJ
7-21-99 Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
8-1-99 Fuji Rock Festival, Naeba, Niigata, JAPAN
9-22-99 Pan American Center, Las Cruces, NM
12-11-99 --
12-30-99 Big Cypress Campground, Big Cypress, Florida
While we hope to include reviews of Mike's Groove from as many people as possible, Charlie Dirksen has written the vast majority of these reviews. Here are a few words from him:
The following is a list of Mike's Songs (and whatever follows, incl. the Weekapaug Grooves) that I have reviewed to date.
As far as I am concerned, the "average" MikeSGroove is GREAT!! Please keep this in mind when you look and see a rating that pisses you off. Instead of writing me and telling me that I am full of Theme from the Bottom (which I already know, since if you are passionately moved by a particular version THAT'S GREAT =^), it would be enjoyable to Everyone if you posted a public message rationalizing WHY you feel the way you do about a particular version. I am biased in favor of MikeSGrooves that (to me) contain unusually powerful/original jams that Sound Good (in other words, improv which sounds akin to well-rehearsed, melodious MUSIC). MikeSGrooves really started improving in 1992, and so, frankly, highly rated pre-1992 versions might not necessarily be "better" imo than a lower rated 1993 version (which is why you shouldn't give ANY weight to these "ratings", unless, of course, they jive with your own estimation, in which case, maybe you should give them some weight, since maybe our tastes are similar..).
The timings listed below should NOT be considered Gospel, even if they appear to be "exact" and not rounded. Do not be fooled.. the timings may be misleading in many cases (my version might have a cut, I might not have been paying attention to the time, etc.). The timings roughly represent the total length of the MikeS{?}Groove, unless there are just too many songs inbetween (e.g., 12/30/93, 11/11/95), or unless otherwise stated, in which case the timing probably just represents the MikeS & Weekapaug combined (e.g., 12/30/93, 12/31/95). It should be assumed that H2 is wedged inbetween MikeS and Weekapaug unless "Leprechaun", "Gig", etc. appears next to the timing in parentheses, and unless the MikeSGroove is one from April 1993 onwards (from whence H2 became one of many possible Mike's -> ???? -> Groove tunes). The first Mike's->[something other than H2] -> Weekapaug was 12/31/92's Mike's->Auld Lang -> Weekapaug, I think.
Ratings Explained, or Something:
F Worthless. Just not fun or exciting at all.
D Blaah. Through the motions. Not much happens. Not great. I wouldn't recommend it to someone whom I wanted to impress with Phish's music.
C Reasonably good, straightforward version. Not terribly interesting, or long, in light of many other versions, but still contains some meritorious jams. Solid.
B Awesome. Contains very intense, melodic jamming, with lots of energy and creativity (but not necessarily all the time). You may want to get a tape of it, and hear for yourself.
A Amazing. Get it. Not only is the jamming spectacular, but there MAY be some interesting teases of other tunes, and especially creative & glorious segments of the jam, that make this a must-have version, and should impress your friends and neighbors.
N/R Not rated. This basically means the version is insane, and it wouldn't be fair to rate it. I would recommend, strongly, that you hear it for yourself. I may have liked, or disliked, it immensely.
+/- (pluses and minuses) are added where appropriate (remember: these ratings flow from my arrogant opinion) SPLIT RATINGS MEAN BORDERLINE RATINGS FOR THE WHOLE MIKESGROOVE.. I am NOT rating the Mike's and Weekapaug separately.
Date Rating Timing Notes
10/17/85 B- 6:16 (Mike's only)
??/??/86 C+ 8 (Mike's only)(Private Party -likely '87)
10/15/86 A- 6:49 (Mike's only)
12/06/86 B- 8 (Mike's only)
08/21/87 B 12 (Mike's only)(MISLABELED AS 8/27/87)
03/??/88 C+ 19 (Townsend, VT)
07/23/88 B- 17:30 (also 3/17/89)
07/24/88 B- 16:05
10/29/88 F+ 6 (Mike's only) (_Booooo_!)
03/17/89 B 17 (congas; great Mike's!)
03/24/89 C- 15:30
04/14/89 C
04/20/89 C+ 14:30
05/09/89 C- 15:30
05/20/89 B- 14:20
05/28/89 C+ 16:20
10/26/89 C 13:50
12/09/89 C -
12/30/89 C 14 (sloppy Auld Lang intro)
03/01/90 C 15:30 (B+ for Weekapaug)
04/18/90 C 13:57
04/22/90 C- 15
06/05/90 D/D+ 14:30
06/16/90 F 17 (they were exhausted)
09/13/90 C-/D+ 15:30
10/30/90 C 14:18
10/31/90 C- 15:30
11/02/90 B- 14:15
11/04/90 C 15
11/16/90 C+ 15:31 (Andy Griffith theme tease in 'paug)
11/24/90 C- 15
11/30/90 C 15
02/08/91 C+ 15:50
02/28/91 C- 14:30
03/15/91 C+ 13:30
03/17/91 D+/C- 13 (shortest MikeSH2Groove?)
04/11/91 C 13:51
04/21/91 C- 15
04/27/91 C 14:18
05/10/91 C+/B- 15:38
05/12/91 C+ 15:20
07/11/91 C-/D+ 14:20
07/15/91 D 15
07/21/91 C+ 16:09
07/23/91 C+ 17:10
10/10/91 C 15:15
10/18/91 D+/C- 15:20
11/01/91 C+ 15:36
11/12/91 C 15:30
11/21/91 B 22 (excellent Weekapaug!!!)
12/31/91 B-/B 17:20
03/17/92 C- 15:29
03/20/92 B+ 19:56
04/13/92 C+ 15:48
04/16/92 B 19:22
04/19/92 B+/A- 21:06
04/21/92 B 19:22
04/29/92 C- 15
05/01/92 B- 17:10
05/03/92 B- 15:24
08/17/92 B- 19:30
11/28/92 A-/A 20:20
12/29/92 B 17:17
12/31/92 A- 17:16 (Auld Lang Syne; no H2!)
02/04/93 B+ 25:37 (TMWSIY! great 'paug..)
02/06/93 B-/C+ 18:00
02/11/93 C 19:00
02/15/93 C+ 18:14 (hysterical Hydrogen)
02/20/93 A- 25 (Rock&Roll All Night Long; wild version)
02/27/93 B-/C+ 17:36
03/03/93 B 20:39
03/05/93 C/C+ 20:28
03/19/93 B/B+ 25:30 (looonnng Weekapaug!!)
03/22/93 B 18:40
03/25/93 B+ 21:49 (Ob La Di in 'paug and more..'Paug smokes!)
03/27/93 A-/B+ 24:27
04/10/93 B+ 22:07 (Gig)
04/16/93 B- 21 (H2 is here..)
04/18/93 B 8:30(?) (Mike's->Low Rider jam..)
04/21/93 B-/B 24:10 (Gig)
04/23/93 B 25 (approx. timing) (H2)
04/29/93 B+ 27 (H2; Makisupa in Weekapaug!)
05/01/93 B 26:35 (very nice Gig)
05/06/93 C 6:58 (Mike's only)
05/08/93 B+ 26:20 (Crossroads,H2,Amazing Grace..)
07/17/93 C+ 18:20 (Leprechaun)
07/24/93 B/B+ 21:30 (Yerushalim Shel Zahav)
07/31/93 B+ 18:39 (Leprechaun)
08/02/93 B-/C+ 14:40 (Sparks, Loew, Rift, Coil)
08/07/93 C 15:15 (Mike's only, w/ KUNG)
08/11/93 C+/B- 26? (Gig)
08/13/93 A- 12:05 (Mike's only) (GET THIS!!!!!!)
08/16/93 N/R 31:25 (FAHT)(TEASEFEST!! GYPSYQUEEN, IWISH, more)
08/24/93 C- 26 (Ginseng Sullivan)
12/30/93 A 20 (HorseSilent, PYITE, McGrupps; gorgeous Mike's)
04/06/94 B 26:14 (Lifeboy)
04/09/94 B- 20:57 (H2)
04/18/94 C 7:52 (Mike's only)
04/21/94 B/B+ 20+(?) (H2)
04/29/94 B+ 19:53 (H2) (Mind Left Body tease sortof)
05/02/94 B-/C+ 16 (Mike's -> JAM only)
05/14/94 B- 21 (H2)
05/27/94 C+/B- 11:40 (Mike's,Simple & OMioBabinoCaro only)
06/09/94 B+ 20:30 (H2)
06/17/94 A- 23:29 (OJ, Simple, H2)
06/22/94 A-/A 28:45 (Midnight Rider Jam in Mike's (excellent!!), Catapult, Simple, Icculus, H2)
07/02/94 B/B+ 28:26 (Simple, JCOG, H2)
07/10/94 B+/A- 25:34 (Low Rider jam in Mike's, H2)
10/08/94 B+/A- 29:40 (Simple, H2)
10/21/94 B+ 22:36 (Simple, H2) (Can't You Hear Me Knockin ending to Weekapaug)
10/25/94 B+/A- 31:30 (Simple, Mango)(amazing Weekapaug)
11/04/94 B 29:51 (Simple, Tela) (Can't You Hear Me Knocking ending to a *great* Weekapaug)
11/16/94 N/R 38:17 (just Mike's -> Simple -> JAM!! )
11/25/94 B 47:48 (Simple, JAM, Harpua)
11/30/94 C+/B- 06:04 (just Mike's Song, lotsa Fishman!!)
12/28/94 A-/B+ 33:48 (Mango.. Lil Drummer Boy)
12/31/94 B+ 25:11 (Buffalo Bill, JCOG)
06/10/95 A-/B+ 34:43 (Hydrogen! Mike's is 20+)
06/20/95 C+ 37:10 (Contact ... great Mike's, but Weekapaug SUCKS)
06/25/95 A- 31:42 (Do It in the Road -> HYHU)
06/30/95 A- 37:06 (Contact)
09/30/95 B-/C+ 21:50 (Keyboard Army)
10/11/95 B 28:15 (McGrupp's, segue into Llama)
10/25/95 N/R 33:15 ("Breathe" Jam -> Sparkle.. killer Mike's!)
11/11/95 A-/A 23:51 (first set Mike's _AND_ Weekapaug!!!)
11/15/95 B+/A- 33:30 (Life on Mars) (great spacey stuff)
11/21/95 B+/A- 14 (Mike's Song -> JAM only..)
11/25/95 B 39 (switching instruments "jam".. lotsof Page in the 'paug)
12/01/95 A-/A 30:09 (Mike's->JAM->Weekapaug)
12/07/95 N/R 31:17 (Mike's->JAM->Weekapaug->JAM!!!!)
12/16/95 A-/A 29:30 (Mike's->Simple->Jam->Weekapaug->Jam)
12/31/95 A 39 (Mike's 20:24, Weekapaug 18:39; spectacular improv)
07/12/96 D- 8 (TERRIBLE Mike's only; -> lame 'Antelope')
07/23/96 B 29:19 (Hydrogen)
08/05/96 B 24:17 (Hydrogen)
08/13/96 A- 39 (Lifeboy; Weekapaug->SOTRainbow!!)
08/16/96 B+/A- 37:05 (Mike's>Jam>Simple>Contact>Weekapaug)
10/22/96 A- 20:47 (SweptAway>Steep.. MAGNIFICENT WEEKAPAUG ENDING!!)
11/06/96 A/A- 36 (Mike's->**JAM**->SweptAway->Steep>Weekapaug)
11/15/96 N/R 23:01 (Monkey, Mean Mr. Mustard, and Popperpaug)
11/23/96 N/R 43:46 (Simple, Makisupa, Axilla Pt.1)
12/06/96 A 56:04 (MikeS->Simple->Jam->Harry->Weekapaug!!!)
12/28/96 N/R 35:14 (Cool Simple-like jamming; Strange Design)
07/22/97 A- 37 (->Mike's->Simple->Hydrogen->Paug)