April 06, 2001

A standard, pretty Fiddler opens the show. The Big One follows. The intro jam is a strong version. It’s standard, but it’s drawn out, forceful and energetic. The middle jam is also mostly type one, but it is the most drawn out version in at least a few years, and it stretches the limits of “type one” about as far as they can go. Great iteration. The main jam is a stellar version. It has multiple well-developed themes and a drawn-out build to the ending (rather than an abrupt key change). An excellent version overall, with each jam better than the last. I didn’t expect much from the Story, but it’s one of the strongest standalones in a while, and certainly of the year. It features the same percussive breakdown as the 3/30 version, but the theme is much better developed and builds to a stronger conclusion. CWB is a standard version with a pleasant solo, and Lai is the same.

The second set opens with what is easily the dumbest Biscuits song ever dreamed up, Ducks and Geese Are Free. I wouldn’t even classify it as a song if the band didn’t play it again repeatedly. The Grass is Green jam is strong at points, and meandering at others. The first theme is probably the strongest overall, with great digital synth-work from Magner. There is a brief sinister crescendo before a breakdown into a drawn-out and notably mellow transition into Pygmy. The transition itself is pretty interesting. There are distinct Pygmy teases from Barber, as well as Crater teases. Immediately before the transition, the jam sounds almost like it could go into Sound 1 (still a few months from its debut). The Pygmy jam builds on a purposeful driving theme that breaks down completely around 6:30-6:45. The passage that emerges is droning and pretty aimless for the first few minutes but settles into an expansive and brooding low-tempo groove after this. The groove evolves with much patience into the blissful GIG ending. Robots has two jams here, and both are fairly uninteresting dnb vehicles. Neither has enough time to build on any strong themes. Ladies is a strong standard standalone. Not much to say about the jam, but the peak is impressive and hints at the future potential of Ladies as an exclamation point in setlists. Jigsaw is a pretty standard post fall 2000 version, but the dub jam is pretty exciting. Barfly is unremarkable.

2/5. The Basis is strong, as is the Pygmy sandwich and Story, but the show is pretty forgettable overall.

Stray Observations: Barber dedicates the Jigsaw Earth to a fan who had requested it but wasn’t there. Lol. Brownie dedicates Barfly to his “drunkest friend.” There are Frog Legs vocal teases in the intro, as well as maybe something else. It features the “girl from Jersey” alternate verse.