11/10/00 - Friday, Irving Plaza - New York, NY

https://archive.org/details/db2000-11-10.shnf

Image; The interior of Irving PLaza (source: TicketWeb)

Review:

Though it has never received as much love as the version from 10/21, the Helicopters that opens this show is one of my favorite versions. Barber lays down a few tense grooves, and Magner mostly stays in the background, contributing occasional Gates of Hell flourishes. Magner takes the lead decisively around the 6 minute mark with a hypnotic trance line. Around 8:30 Barber takes lead with an ascending riff theme that builds to an excellent peak. Magner busts out the new 11/9 synth (which I am naming as such for its debut date) in the ending composition. The Svenghali that follows is another personal favorite version. The jam creeps into dark territory immediately, while Barber continues to modulate the Svenghali riff. It descends deeper into madness, with excellent atmospheric synth work and distorted guitar that is at times indistinguishable from the synths. At the eight minute mark, Barber plays a few measures of the ending to The Overture. If he intended to segue into an inverted Overture, I’m glad he decided against it: the fakeout marks a thematic shift in the jam but allows the theme to continue to develop. It becomes notably more triumphant after the fakeout as it begins to head back to Svenghali. The jam builds to a spectacular peak heading back into Svenghali. Shelby Rose has a dnb theme that begins with Magner on piano as he and Barber play beautiful little riffs off each other. Barber holds onto this theme as Magner moves to ambient synths, and then the flute patch, while the mood shifts to tension. There is a breakdown around the 11 minute mark and from there the jam heads back toward Shelby territory. The Story is a solid version as well; although not as exploratory as other versions, it builds on a single well-executed theme to a strong conclusion. Wet closes the set, and is standard. Happy Birthday to Brownie’s mom!

Munchkin Invasion opens set two, and immediately launches into a blissful trance theme. Magner makes contributions on the choir of angels synths over Sammy’s feather-light trance rhythm. Barber takes the lead and at 5:30 delivers one of the most gorgeous themes I’ve heard in Munchkin. The theme comes to a head, before breaking down and settling into a cool groove around the ten minute mark. It soon begins to build back up into a driving trance rhythm about a minute later. If you listen carefully, you can hear Magner come back in with the 11/9 synth. Barber takes lead once again for a brilliant build into Confrontation, culminating in what might be the strongest Confrontation peak ever. The jam out of Confrontation is a grimy Magner trance vehicle. Around the 9 minute mark it settles into some airy space, and Sammy begins to increase the tempo rapidly. The jam builds up to a ferocious peak. Magner utilizes the Gates of Hell and Barber uses the same distortion he used in the Svenghali jam. The effect is fantastic, and the jam builds to a solid Munchkin ending. Munchkin has a very cool outro jam with strong vocal elements that results in a very smooth transition into House Dog. There isn’t much that is special about this House Dog, but both jams are stronger than usual. Barber unleashes his inner rock god in the first jam, and the second in particular has a fantastic theme that builds with eminent patience across many different moods. Excellent segment. The Floodlights jam is pretty short, but it’s some nice thick syrupy fall 2000 trance. Around the 8 minute mark it breaks down into a Pat & Dex intro jam. A solid Plan B is played in the encore slot, and fades into an Aceetobee intro. The first jam isn’t terribly long, but it has some cool fall 2000 flourishes such as the same synth guitar effect from the Svenghali jam and Munchkin ending. The main jam is beautiful. Ambient waves of sound from Magner underscore some simple piano and mellow, restrained guitar playing. It builds to a stunning ending.

This show marks the return to the northeast for the first time all tour (except for the far more exclusive 11/9/00). While I would not go so far as to call it one of the best shows of the year, there are a few transcendent moments.

Highlights:

Svenghali

Two themes demarcated by an Overture fakeout, the first sinister and psychedelic and the second triumphant. Barber uses a new (I think) guitar effect here that reappears in other jams throughout the night.

Munchkin > Confro

The first part of the jam is one of the most distinctive Munchkin themes ever, and the second is probably the greatest build into Confrontation ever.

Confro > Munchkin

The second half of this sandwich isn’t quite as definitive as the first half, but still excellent. The heavy distorted synths give way to ethereal trance before an excellent build into the ending.

Helicopters

While not on the same level as the best of the year, this Helicopters is a great way to open the show. The end of the jam in particular is fantastic.

Stray Observations:

There is an Overture fakeout in Svenghali.

This is the first ever inverted Confrontation.