Subject: 11/25/94 set II review, thoughts, reflections, etc. From: Jay RoseWhile taping my 11/25/94 show last night for a trade I really got fired up listening to set II. I would like to share some thoughts with everyone about this set. Being quite busy during the taping of set I, I didn't really get to dig into it. What I did hear was a nice run through of their album songs. The only two 'jam' songs were Reba and SOAMelt. I really can't fairly address these because my mind was elsewhere. The real fireworks began in set II. This is what I would call a near perfect set of Phish music. It begins with a 2001. Bam! Right there. It usually means that you are in for a surpise. I think this is a great set II opener. You could be in store for a variety of treats. In this case, it was a Mike's Song. Always a favorite. Never really get tired of hearing it. This version was fairly standard. Nothing incredible jumped out at me. By this being standard, I don't mean that it was bad. It just stuck to the main structure of the song. After a Mike's, like 2001, there is always suspense on what they will go for next. After a few minutes of jamming, the opening riff of Simple starts to make itself known. This was another nice treat. I know during 11/94 that this wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I just think that Simple follows Mike's very nicely. Again, like the Mike's, the Simple is performed in a straight-ahead, no frills way. So far I really getting into this. Since the 2001 opener they did not pause between songs. In retrospect, they were just setting you up for a great set of music. I think this is a very important part of a Phish show. There has to be some kind of flowing chemistry of songs/jams that keep everything together. I think this set is a great example. A example of how to totally blow a smokin' Mike's or Tweezer would be to insert a Star Spangled Banner, ala 11/8/96 or Steep-> Swept Away, ala MSG 96. Anyway, during the Simple jam is where things really get interesting. For awhile it sounds very segemented. Almost like they were going to do another 40min. one, similiar to the 11/16/94 version. One part of this jam really hit me because I think there was a Pink Floyd Astronomy Domine tease. Well, I don't think it was a tease. It was a full out jam for maybe 30 seconds. If anyone has heard this, please correct me if I am wrong. Like I said before this set had perfect chemistry going. I didn't think it could get any better until.... oommm pah pah oomm pah pah oomm pahh pahh ooooommmmm........ ShiT! HARPUA! Another treat! The suspense continued. What would Poster Nut Bag be in store for in this installment. In the middle Trey wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and then narrates the Thanksgiving edition of Harpua. I won't tell the entire story, but, like most Harpua's, it is very amusing. At one point Poster opens up his mouth to reveal these "green love beams". I was lucky enough to be in attendance for this show and I recall these people in the balcony to the left of the stage started throwing hundreds of green glowsticks on stage. They really seemed like they were having fun. For a short time the band and audience played catch back and forth with these "green love beams". This is something that puzzles me to this day. How did these people know what story Trey was going to tell, let alone know they were going to do Harpua? I am assuming that this was done with the band's knowledge. I don't know. I would love to know more about this. After all of this chaos and the end of Harpua, comes the chords to Weekapaug. I really felt like I was taken to another place. This set, so far, wasn't a collection of songs, it was a beautifully performed/jammed set of music! This is where my tape flips. While staring side B I am thinking, "what else could possibly follow this up?". The Mango Song, yeeaaahhh! I thought this was great. There was no delay. Weekapaug Groove simply melded in to the intro line of Mango. I really like this song. It is not overplayed and it has really nice melody. A good way to end the epic jam which preceded it. After Mango came Purple Rain. Again no pause between songs. While Trey and Fish are making the switch, Page starts the lush opening chords of the song. During the chorus sparkling purple lights shower over the crowd. I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of this song, but I really enojoyed it on this night. A very good performance, complete with vac solo. Now I was really in the mood for something faster, more upbeat. Here comes Antelope. WOW! They just don't quit. I really didn't pay super-close attention to this version, but it sounded solid and strong. A perfect set closer. Man, when this song kicks in after the quiet intro, it is one of the most euphoric feelings. This was the perfect way to wrap up a perfect set. but still there was more...... a energetic rendition of Good Times, Bad Times. Exceptional. I love when Page comes in on "I Know what it's like to be a........" The thing that really made this show was the musical thread that held everything together. They totally had me in the palms of their hands to do what they wanted with me. I never had a moment to criticize what they were playing. I was entranced throughout. Alot of this is bias also, because I was there, but, I think everyone should give this a listen. This is a classic! ~Jason ---------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 17:25:41 GMT From: Douglas Wertheimer <102665.2104@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: ** 11/25/94 UIC Remembered ** This will be the first in an attempt of mine to review some "older" shows (ie. not 97) that I was at. Some of these shows may already have been somewhat forgotten, & I will try to remind folks of them.I hope you all enjoy. Comments are welcome; please cc me at 102665.2104@compuserve.com. Friday, November 25th, 1994 U of Illinois Pavillion Chicago, IL I: Llama, Guelah, Reba, Bouncin, Melt, Esther, Julius, Golgi II: Also Sprach > Mike's > Simple > Wicked Jam > Harpua Weekapaug > Mango, Purple Rain, Antelope E: Good Times, Bad Times This was the second of two great shows played at the UIC Pavillion. The second set is definitely a class 1994 Power Set. Opening with ALSO SPRACH, the band quickly launched into a raging version of MIKE'S SONG. This Mike's was the first -- and last -- time that I witnessed the smoke during the tramps segment. In typical 1994 fashion, this segued into SIMPLE. Most notable about this Simple, is the jam that came out of it. This jam was befitting the scariest of Halloween events. Someone, perhaps Trey, says "Yoohoo" a couple of times. This is somewhat akin to portions of the 12/29/94 Providence Bowie. The Simple stops abruptly, & the band shouts in unison the words we all want to hear: "Oom Pa Pa". Trey announces that he will tell us a famous Thanksgiving story. At Plymouth Rock, there is a town which likes everyone except for one man. He is an older man, who has a mangy dog. The man is forced to move up into the mountains, and one day, as he is looking down at the town, he becomes very angry. He opens his mouth and lets out a, "scream that was so terrible that it shook the rafters of the town". This man's anger was so intense, that it became a Red Beam of Hate. The story switches to our friend Jimmy, who is admiring his cat. Jimmy's cat is so nice, that when it opens its mouth, it lets out Green Love Beams. It was at this point in the show that, you really *did* have to be there. Someone threw one of those ubiquitous glow sticks, & Fishman commented that Poster Nutbag's Green Love Beam was, "Much like that love beam". Glow sticks started flying everywhere. Trey tried to continue the story, but was interrupted by the tremendous amount of glow sticks flying all over the arena. Trey began running around the stage, picking up glow sticks, & throwing them back at the crowd. To this day, I still wonder where all those Love Beams came from. All the glow sticks in the known universe must have been at the UIC Pavillion that evening. The rest of the set is particularly notable for a delicate segue from WEEKAPAUG into MANGO. Have fun... sauldude AKA Disco Saul AKA DJ Saul T. Nutz AKA Uncle Heavy