Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 14:12:57 -0700
From: Eric Launder
Subject: 9-27-95 Cal Expo set list, review


I haven't seen a post for the list yet...sorry about some of the song names I
didn't get. These were songs I believe are new since summer tour.

Set One:
Wolfman's Bro, Rift, Free, It's Ice, I Didn't Know, Another Taste*,
Strange Design, Chalkdust, Squirming Coil

Set Two:
short instrumental tune, AC/DC Bag, Bowie, Limb by Limb?, Keyboard Army,
Hood@, Hello My Baby, Day in the Life

E: Possum

*this song was introduced by Trey as something like, "Here's a song some of
you may think you know, but really don't." The song was basically Taste with
a little bit different intro and with Fish singing while playing drums. Don't
really remember what the vocals were, but he sang like three verses and then
they went into the "I can see through the light" part of Taste and the whole
end jam part. I like the original Taste better. They also soundchecked most of
this song.

@UNFINISHED...talk about a buzz kill, they started building up and were
starting to climax toward the "You can feel good" part, but Trey said
something to Mike and Mike passed it to Fish and then Trey started just
playing this one note really loud and they basically ended the song there,
came out and sang the acapella tune I haven't heard, but some people around me
seemed to recognize. Had a little foreshadowing of the events to come...
driving to Cal Expo through farm land we came across a sign that said:

HOOD
Next Left

My friend and I made the obvious comments about how great that would be. Then
we made a comment about how bad the cow shit stank. Well, we got the Hood but
we got the stink too.

It started as a great version...very tight and creative...good interaction and
patience during the begining part. The vocals and middle section were good and
the jam started promissing, BUT to not finish Hood is like, is like, um...er
well imagine something that you usually associate with climax and imagine not
being allowed to finish...

Other thoughts:

Wolfman's Brother- great opener, a total surprise. Not one of my favorites off
Hoist but very well played with cool harmonies, a great chunky rhythm, and all
around good vibes. Never heard it live before...gives me a new found
appreciation of the song.

Free- very cool song...does the middle jam remind anyone else of the chordal
changes of Victim or the Crime. Kind of crime to compare the two songs I
know, but the jam has that same dark, creepy quality.

I Didn't Know- always fun. Boy, Fish must have taken some Trombone lessons. He
played great. Usually he just blows and screws around, but he actually sounded
great...no sour notes and lots of intricate high stuff...A+

Chalkdust- rocks period...the first song of the night to get my blood pumping

Coil- sloppy, but always a welcome tune

AC/DC- great sounding through the vocals...when they got to the jam, they
started on this sort of disjointed rhythm that sounded cool but they couldn't
really pull it back to the breakneck speed the song usually ends on...they
tried but never really made it.

Bowie- probably the highlight of the evening. Fairly short, but very
engrossing jam. Kind of a smooth spacey start that became more and more
intense with a fairly typical ending.

new song?- kind of boring, interesting chord progression, but a blah chorus.
At the end everyone came over to Page's side of the stage and each played a
different keyboard. It was this repetitive sort of one chord thing with no real
melody.

Possum- solid, Trey had some cool sounds he was using (not MIDI or other
overly processed stuff)...just some sweet tones during the begining quiet
part of the jam.

The Bottom Line: show was definitely towards the bottom on my ratings list,
BUT I'd take it over the best show any other band could muster. Seems like the
energy level at Expo was fairly low, but the sound was great, they guys seemed
to be havin' a great time and it was the first show back. Comments welcome and
hopefully someone will fill in the names of a couple of those new? songs.

============================================================================
Eric Launder                            Livingston Enterprises
e-mail: eric@livingston.com             6920 Koll Center Parkway #220
tel: 510-426-0770                       Pleasanton, CA  94566
fax: 510-426-8951                       http://www.livingston.com
============================================================================



From:  augustc@uclink4.berkeley.edu Subject: 9-27-95 Cal Expo Experience (longish)  Hi all-- just thought that I'd share a few of my impressions from the tour opener last night. All I can say was, I really feel sorry for  every person on earth who didn't see the second set of this one. The first set was a little flat, and the sound was lousy. The PA was  crackling during Page's solo at the end of Coil. The boys themselves seemed a little flat, I actually heard Trey mess up the line a few  times, and all together they just weren't totally in sync. However,  they did play three new ones; Free, (which sounded a whole lot tighter compared to Red Rocks) Fog that Surrounds, (another rad jam here) and  Strange Design (very slow at the beginning, with only Page playing/ singing). Even a little off-kilter, the boys managed to put together a rad first set. However, the second set was where it was at. I'm  firmly convinced that they all went backstage and blazed during the set break, 'cos they came out and played a truly amazing set. Starting with an insturmental that nobody had ever heard, they  went into a rockin 8 minute AC/DC bag, and segued into a Bowie which words cannot describe. Undoubtably the sickest Bowie that i've ever heard. Then another new one whose name I don't know, (softly sing, sing softly was the chorus) Then Page started playing this  repetitive piece and Trey, Mike, and Fish walked, robot-like, around the stage to join Page at the keyboards. All four of them squeezed into Page's area, and with Page at the grand, Fish on the synth, Mike on the Goff and Trey on the electric piano and played either one long piece with a break in it, or two short pieces (I couldn't hear any connection between them, but I could easily be mistaken). Then  they all returned to their respective insturments and started talking amongst themselves about which song to play. I yelled HOOD, HOOD, at the top of my lungs, and guess what started? It gave me chills. What a beautiful song. They never played the finale, tho (you can feel good, etc.) instead Trey set his delay and they all walked out front to  do an acoustic vocal song (outdoors! in a huge space!!) while Trey's  delay faded out. Some sound guy (not a member of the crew) came out  and said something to Trey, who then put the mike out in front. I don't know the title of the song that they sang, but I sure that many know  it (hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal, etc.) Then,  a Beatles song, and not just any Beatles song, but A Day in the Life!!! Unbefuckingleviable. They all came out quickly for the encore (always a good sign) and launched into a Possum that made me forget about the whole second set (no mean feat, let me assure you). Boy, I was so high from that music (and I don't just mean drugs high) that it's going to  take me a couple to recover. See you at Shoreline! Come find me and I'll lay a tape on you! I have blonde/brown (bleached) hair and a beard, and if you can find me with only that description to go on, I'll be happy to  hand over my best set. Keep Phishin! august augustc@uclink4.berkeley.edu