OK so this was waaay better than Nassau imho. As mentioned in another post I'd like to hear a comparison of shows from someone who was at both this show and msg.
To start, at least from where I was, the sound was louder and the mix cleaner than Nassau. Next they were somewhat tighter with more cohesive dynamics. The roller coaster was in full flight! Nice setlist. Enter Branford - nuff said.
I:
U.S. Blues - Nice version. Slightly grindy and roadhousey. Immediately I knew that at least the sound was better and hopes were high.
Scarlet Begonias > As soon as the first few notes of this came out I was like "boy am I curious what warren's gonna do here?" This was nice and bouncy and warren's lead had the envelope going strong which was interesting. He kept it simple but nice and the band behind him was tight and carried a lot of "crescendo muscle" slammin into the E chord at the beginning of each successive verse. This jammed for a bit as I wondered were they going to transition to another tune or would this be stand alone. Wrong! I don't know if they'd been doing it this way recently or not but instead of either of the aforementioned deals they went into the lilty end of the song riff and at the last note bang! right into fire and out pops Branford and the place goes mildly bonkers (about as rowdy a bunch of elder heads could get!)
Fire on the Mountain* - This is real nice and warren sings and plays it well. The addition of Branford adds that extra color I'd missed at Nassau - nice work from Jeff here as well - the whole operation is in full swing now.
Bird Song* - Called this (and Stranger) after a plucked note or 2. Just like the old days! Started out a little slow and I guess Bob's approach singing this may take a little bit for me to get used to. Otherwise this was good and got pretty spacey for a while.
Feel Like a Stranger* Real good stuff here. Warren w/ really nice fills and backup vocals - both he and Branford had it going on pretty good with some pretty intense jams. An interesting extended jam in the mode of the between verse Gw/Abass jam, well, um, between verses before the extended C#m/B jam.
High Time Very pretty version sung real well by warren
Turn On Your Lovelight* - Highlight of the show for me - just an excellent jam with crescendos and lulls w/ everybody on the same page. At one early point following a verse it's down to almost nothing and as Bob steps back from the mic and motions over to Branford who seems to emote a "who, moi?" And so from just about nothing he's off and running. Real early and later on some nice work by warren. The whole thing soared.
II:
New Potato Caboose > - 1st time seeing this, and I always liked the timing and chord changes and the chimes. Phil's voice is strong here.
Estimated Prophet* > - This was good as well with some nice color by warren and Branford - wish branford stretched it out in the G-C-G-F-C jam but he'd stepped back and was mostly a bystander. This was similar to Scarlet in that warren's play was nice but it was the band dynamics behind him that carried the punch
Milestones* > - Didn't even know what this was, thought maybe it was a Branford tune? lol!! Loved it though and it seemed taylor made for branford. Seemed mildly complicated and it was like I was waiting for it to fall off the tracks, which it never did, thankfully. Quite the contrary, it ruled the route.
Drums > - was some kind of a native american type chant going on in the beginning here - never seen this before and it was cool. this was real moody sounding - laid back and sleek as branford and jeff chime in nicely - until the drums got going full on. Mickey on the big kettle type drums pounding and reverberating in my chest! That's how I like it! Loud it was.
Space > - This seemed short.
Dear Mr. Fantasy* > - Cool version w/warren with some nice stuff - woulda liked more from branford here.
Dark Star* > - heard this a mile away - Nice but it's hard for me not to think of the interplay between jg and branford back in '90 at Nassau - nothings topping that. But to what is now - this seemed a bit truncated as they took turns singing lines from the 2nd verse only. Jeff and branford nice here.
Eyes of the World* - Nice vibe and as expected a nice show case for branford - and jeff as it turned out. Warren sat back a bit here.
E: Franklin's Tower - Didn't stick around for the encore - I guess I'm gettin on!
*-with Branford Marsalis (Saxophone); "Dark Star" was 2nd verse only
Overall a real treat of a show - where Nassau got only one 'woohoo' outta me, there were 'woohoo's' galore here. Virtually everything was clicking nicely on this night, and when you factor in branford , all I can say is the planets were in the proper alignment.
One note - show wasn't sold out evidently as there were plenty of seats available. There was even a curtain pulled across the end of the arena opposite the stage covering the upper level. Yet there were plenty of 'miracle folks' outside looking for a deal. Function of the high ticket prices I suppose.
To start, at least from where I was, the sound was louder and the mix cleaner than Nassau. Next they were somewhat tighter with more cohesive dynamics. The roller coaster was in full flight! Nice setlist. Enter Branford - nuff said.
I:
U.S. Blues - Nice version. Slightly grindy and roadhousey. Immediately I knew that at least the sound was better and hopes were high.
Scarlet Begonias > As soon as the first few notes of this came out I was like "boy am I curious what warren's gonna do here?" This was nice and bouncy and warren's lead had the envelope going strong which was interesting. He kept it simple but nice and the band behind him was tight and carried a lot of "crescendo muscle" slammin into the E chord at the beginning of each successive verse. This jammed for a bit as I wondered were they going to transition to another tune or would this be stand alone. Wrong! I don't know if they'd been doing it this way recently or not but instead of either of the aforementioned deals they went into the lilty end of the song riff and at the last note bang! right into fire and out pops Branford and the place goes mildly bonkers (about as rowdy a bunch of elder heads could get!)
Fire on the Mountain* - This is real nice and warren sings and plays it well. The addition of Branford adds that extra color I'd missed at Nassau - nice work from Jeff here as well - the whole operation is in full swing now.
Bird Song* - Called this (and Stranger) after a plucked note or 2. Just like the old days! Started out a little slow and I guess Bob's approach singing this may take a little bit for me to get used to. Otherwise this was good and got pretty spacey for a while.
Feel Like a Stranger* Real good stuff here. Warren w/ really nice fills and backup vocals - both he and Branford had it going on pretty good with some pretty intense jams. An interesting extended jam in the mode of the between verse Gw/Abass jam, well, um, between verses before the extended C#m/B jam.
High Time Very pretty version sung real well by warren
Turn On Your Lovelight* - Highlight of the show for me - just an excellent jam with crescendos and lulls w/ everybody on the same page. At one early point following a verse it's down to almost nothing and as Bob steps back from the mic and motions over to Branford who seems to emote a "who, moi?" And so from just about nothing he's off and running. Real early and later on some nice work by warren. The whole thing soared.
II:
New Potato Caboose > - 1st time seeing this, and I always liked the timing and chord changes and the chimes. Phil's voice is strong here.
Estimated Prophet* > - This was good as well with some nice color by warren and Branford - wish branford stretched it out in the G-C-G-F-C jam but he'd stepped back and was mostly a bystander. This was similar to Scarlet in that warren's play was nice but it was the band dynamics behind him that carried the punch
Milestones* > - Didn't even know what this was, thought maybe it was a Branford tune? lol!! Loved it though and it seemed taylor made for branford. Seemed mildly complicated and it was like I was waiting for it to fall off the tracks, which it never did, thankfully. Quite the contrary, it ruled the route.
Drums > - was some kind of a native american type chant going on in the beginning here - never seen this before and it was cool. this was real moody sounding - laid back and sleek as branford and jeff chime in nicely - until the drums got going full on. Mickey on the big kettle type drums pounding and reverberating in my chest! That's how I like it! Loud it was.
Space > - This seemed short.
Dear Mr. Fantasy* > - Cool version w/warren with some nice stuff - woulda liked more from branford here.
Dark Star* > - heard this a mile away - Nice but it's hard for me not to think of the interplay between jg and branford back in '90 at Nassau - nothings topping that. But to what is now - this seemed a bit truncated as they took turns singing lines from the 2nd verse only. Jeff and branford nice here.
Eyes of the World* - Nice vibe and as expected a nice show case for branford - and jeff as it turned out. Warren sat back a bit here.
E: Franklin's Tower - Didn't stick around for the encore - I guess I'm gettin on!
*-with Branford Marsalis (Saxophone); "Dark Star" was 2nd verse only
Overall a real treat of a show - where Nassau got only one 'woohoo' outta me, there were 'woohoo's' galore here. Virtually everything was clicking nicely on this night, and when you factor in branford , all I can say is the planets were in the proper alignment.
One note - show wasn't sold out evidently as there were plenty of seats available. There was even a curtain pulled across the end of the arena opposite the stage covering the upper level. Yet there were plenty of 'miracle folks' outside looking for a deal. Function of the high ticket prices I suppose.
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