March 23, 2001

Shem-Rah Boo opens the show. Magner locks into a trance theme right away, and the jam is briskly paced and focused. It breaks down, and around the 8 minute mark embarks on a new theme with a symphonic quality. It sounds at times almost like a Ladies ending progression, but quickly resolves into a Shem-Rah ending. Strong version and strong MOTH MOTY section. Svenghali follows, containing a mellow, mournful dnb progression that gradually becomes more sinister beginning around 5:30. The band explores this theme for several minutes, returning to the triumphant Svenghali progression around 10:30. Excellent version. The Vassilios begins as a standard version, but soon locks into a minimalist theme with interesting percussive effects. These effects continue through the following theme, which is beautiful and melancholy. It breaks down into a weird and noisy passage, which gradually becomes more triumphant and cohesive as it approaches Bernstein & Chasnoff. The B&C jam is standard bliss until the 5 minute mark when it enters tense territory. This is typical for a B&C jam, but this version nevertheless manages to hold my attention. The back half of the sinister theme and the return to the B&C progression are both particularly enjoyable. The Morph is a short and sweet rager, with a fist-pumping conclusion.

The second ever Spacebird opens set two. Much like the first one, it doesn’t get beyond type one territory. The Spaga jam is excellent, both mellow and extremely patient. Magner uses a digital synth and keeps the jam tightly in the pocket for the first several minutes. After the 9 minute mark this theme gives way, and the band begins to build to the ending. The second jam is still completely type one, but it involves Magner on a wider variety of synths, mostly the trance synth along with the typical electric organ which comes in at the end. Spaga has a very uneasy outro jam. There are some foreboding sound effects from Magner over a very tense rhythm. The transition into Basis is very sudden and not in a good way. There is a middle jam, but it barely qualifies—Barber brings it back to the middle section very quickly. As the main jam begins, Brownie invites some guy named Joe onto the stage to jam with the band, and he plays harmonica. There are, I imagine, two possible reactions to hearing that the Biscuits had a harmonica sit-in on a Basis jam. To the first group, it’s not as bad as you’re thinking. To the second, it’s not as cool as you’re thinking. I tried to keep an open mind, but the harmonica added almost nothing for me, and the Basis jam itself is pretty pedestrian besides, despite Magner’s attempts to juice it up with the Gates of Hell (first appearance of the year!). House Dog closes out the set, and the show. The first jam is standard and well-executed, but the second is unique. Rather than dropping into the standard jam section, the band completely deconstructs the middle section and breaks down into a wild vocal jam. It foreshadows the epic 9/23/01 Shimmy, and carries well into the jam. In spite of the vocal jam, the Party Favor jam is anything but a gimmick. There is an expansive section of exploratory jamming in the middle, with a strong return to the composition.

2/5. The Party Favor and Spaga jams are both worth hearing, but despite setlist appearance, I think the first set might be stronger. Sven, Vass > B&C and the B&C itself are all strong.

Stray Observations: There are notated Nughuffer teases in the B&C, but I missed them on my listen. There are Radiator teases in the Spaga outro. Amusing banter after the Basis.