December 01, 2000

Dynamite at every turn. I personally have the 2nd set as a SBD and some C1000's for the 1st (also missing a tune). Can you please send me the 1st in SBD? Whatever you need, it's yours.

I'll just briefly speak about the 2nd set as the 1st is noisy with not much bottom end and Barber's low volume makes it difficult to hear his noodling; in the crowd source it's hard to hear the low volume noodling as it's one of his finest gifts. Like in the 1st HAB jam at around 8 mins in, he jams with the chord and not the key and like a good rock-n-roll jam God, he ends his phrasing on the root notes making the key stand out and be sexy like it wants to be. He nails this in the 1st set with the Shem-Confrontation...amazing.

This HAB(1) jam is glorious. For one, Sammy is delivering some incredible perc with a sort of hybrid reggae beat for a few minutes as we end the tune. The up beat is down and vice-versa....creepy good. Now he just ramps up the tempo inch by inch with nice psychedelic Magner playing and then they slightly slow down again as they enter

Floodlights. A fn' A+ version, even at "only" 7 minutes-ish. This ode to the Beasties style comes out swinging. Powerful. Mags is all over the top prog-synthing a nice jam here and there. A nice funky beat ends the tune with everyone else already dissipating into Crix.

These post "Brownie go take a nap and practice" Crickets in the second half of 2000 through April 2002 are the best. Yes, for the author here, but man. The groove is just a nice and calm walk in the park. "Look Out!" "Look Out"....then the untzin' adidas tracksuit wearing aliens come aboard for some delicious 1.0 cosmic marching band in double time. These dnb jams back in this era are pure joy. Sammy's simple approach becomes so poignant and relevant simply due to it's minimalism. He is incredible (for the 326th time). Now, here at around the 6 minute mark it's Barber and Magner time. One is playing like Chick Corea with extra trippy waves while Barber chops down a crazy lick every 2nd bar or so. It works. The reason this is one of the best early Crickets is the sheer "correct" or smart decisions they all make in the vibe and tempo of pure psychedelic mayhem. They open up the windows to let the fresh air in at around 12:25. Slowing things down, opening up the heavens for Barber to calmly play some beautiful passages. Marc's underlying repeating sections is perfect and generous. Too much would be a possible mess and take away from Barber. Brownie plays for the best possible sound they can play. Full stop. No show offing tonight. He can get plenty of panties later on.

12 minutes HAB reprise and jam ender. Blissco. Heavenly up, up and away crescendo jam as he went from his cell to the sky. Then it happens. One of the nicest HAB Tags. You are definitely hearing a man, in a hot balloon, fleeing and flying across the sky over the sea. Freedom yet a worrying freedom. Nothing is for certain.

Marc has been kinda quiet in the 2nd set, kinda. Well, here's his best cover. Some mandatory slapping to get the party started while Sam simply kick drums it. You know the tune lol. This one has a lot of pepper.
The build goes on for a good 8 minutes until the gym comes ablaze with lights. Brownie is screaming his ass off! They all are, the energy! Then back into the pocket....this fucking band :) .... The final jam to this fantastic unfinished version starts with the usual 1.0 funtz. Perfect thumping & high-hatting by the doctor with beautiful work by Barber, very much still in RLH but with some other ideas he alone has. The ending has a tempo hike until they masterfully re-enter...

Crix jam 2. This ending chunk is a little faster and so full of funk. Some back-n-forth action between Mags and Barber until Jon pulls the chord for just a bit. Like the ultimate jammers they are, they ramp it up and play some more. This section has Barber hammering awesome power rhythm chords a la Stevie Ray Vaughn's Couldn't Stand The Weather. Kinda sorta. The Crix Coaster goes back down again. Hopping Hopping Hopping...... Marc laughs, some dude is petting the band members.... Just another night on tour in 2000. Th'end. A+

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