This show starts out well with a happy Disease and a well-played Theme. Chalk Dust is a somewhat rare example of the band nearly derailing due to pushing too hard: Fishman strays far off-course, which leaves everyone scrambling to meet on common ground again. The show recovers nicely with the ensuing Forbin's > Mockingbird. This is a truly GREAT Stash – both Trey and Fishman are on fire. Trey unforgivingly pummels the audience with a series of tense and manic licks, to which Fishman tastefully lays down the rolls on his toms.
Set 2: This short Halley's more or less functions as a fake-out, as Mike's surprisingly comes out of nowhere. Trey focuses on percussion for part of the Mike's jam, opening up plenty of space for Page to shine. Fishman is really tuned in and on! For the first time ever, Mike's bleeds directly into Weekapaug. This was quite likely not planned: there is no key change, and Weekapaug ends up a few steps high (at first the band struggles to find their footing vocally). Quite interestingly, just when it seems Trey may have painted the jam into a tight corner, everyone speeds up on his cue, and the jam changes key before the vocals come around again! Suspicious Minds is suitably absurd, and Bowie does not disappoint.
The Suzie encore is very high-energy, with an aggressive, knock-you-out solo from Page.
Stash, Mike's, and Weekapaug are the predictable highlights of this show. It's a good one!