It’s amazing how even in the midst of their nadir – Vegas 2004 – among all the muck and slop and cringe-inducing Trey shot voice and ill-placed ballads and meanding jams,

you can still find moments of inspired brilliance. Exhibit A would be the set I closing Taste from 4/16/04. Ho…leee…cow, Trey is posessed. That strung-out, uncompressed tone works so well and he deftly jumps between that tone and the more liquid, open, enveloping tone. I mean just listen to the section from around 7:30 to 9:00, with the jaw-dropper high note at 8:45. But best of all, IMO, is the run he does immediately after that. Like 8:50-ish to 9:00. That is freaking DYNAMITE! And the finale before the outtro is a series of wailing, crying, bleeding, motherfucking hanuting bent notes. Wowzer!

I think Taste jams are best dark, brooding, and evil and this one has that in spades. I also think that is the best, most polished set of the run...which I realize isn't saying much at all.

also, the soundboards at that time were so pure and unfiltered (or sterile, if you like), with no extra audience mics for ambiance like you have nowadays -those things would normally be a major minus because it makes all the flubs and shot voice that much more noticeable, BUT Trey’s guitar comes out so clear and piercing loud, it’s like it’s mainlined right into your jugular. Page’s piano also sounds incredible in that mix.