Mike's Song opens up a little on the slow side, just a touch.  Trey
employs some sort of whammy effect, a little bit, in the opening
chords.  At about 2:50 or so the "tramps" or "trampolines" section
begins.  I've been informed that they were on tramps during this
section of Mike's Song very recently, and perhaps even for this
version. (I don't remember seeing them on trampolines for Mike's Song
anytime after 7/2/94, but they have apparently tramp'ed a few times
since then, according to some people who emailed me).

Pretty dull, throbbing, typically dark tramps segment groove until
around 4:20 or so, when Trey begins soloing eriely and LOOOOOOOW on
his Languedoc.  His soloing is steady, patient and not especially
endearing.  He begins climbing sloooowly around 5:20, sustaining a
note here and there (but loosely, almost sloppily so
(intentionally)).

Around 6 minutes Trey is in the mid-octaves and is still patiently
soloing, only is more melodious and dedicated.  His soloing is almost
Gilmour-esque in here (around 6:30), with semi-melodious, periodic
sustain.  An intensely enchanting, spooky groove.  Page, Mike and Fish
are still accompanying rather basely, apparently just playing it safe.

Close to 8 minutes, Trey picks up this plodding "tramps segment"
groove a bit, before sustaining a note for awhile around 8:10 or so,
and eriely distorting it within the next twenty seconds.

At about 9:10 or so, Trey starts repetitively and steadily chording
and playing which, given Page's intense chording and sustaining,
creates quite an wall of sound.  This must have been something to
witness given the lights and hopefully fog.

FINALLY, at 10:01 or so, the "tramps segment" ends with the typical
closing chords, and at 10:20 Trey plays the typical Simple opening
notes to signal the opening of the post-tramps jam segment of Mike's
Song.  Trey, however, lets loose this effect and moves to his
mini-kit.  Meanwhile, Page moves to the clavinet (well around 11:30)
and Mike repetitively solos (nothing terribly special -- spooky).
Fish maintains a typical Mike's Song rhythm in here, by the way.  He
does play around with the beat around 12 minutes, screwing around with
Mike, in all fairness, while Page noodles away on the clavinet, but
nothing enormously inspiring occurs.

At 12:45 or so, Mike starts melodiously soloing on his bass, and I
WOULD SWEAR that he practically teases the melody of a song I should
know but can't name (non-Phish tune.. I think it is a Steve Miller
song, actually).  He doesn't QUITE tease the entire melody, however.

He drops this melody fairly quickly, however, and at around 13:30 Mike
clearly starts playing "Mind Left Body" -- Mike is just ALL OVER the
Mind Left Body theme!!!! He repeats it over and over and over again. I
love this simple little progression.  And yes, This Is Really Mind
Left Body.  There's no question about it.  He drops it by 14 minutes
or so, though.  Meanwhile, Trey is still on the mini-kit (and there's
still distorted noise from his 'doc), Page is chording, and Fish is
grooving away.

Nice, steady as she goes, intensely funky SAAAHWEEET groove around 15
minutes in my opinion.  Page comes in around 15:40 or so chording a
bit, and then Trey picks back up his 'doc and lets out some funky
repetitive licks that remind me of the 12/9/95 YEM before the "Shaft"
lyrical tease.  Page moves to the piano around 16:30!  =^]

Trey just rhythmically accompanies this great groove (Page isn't
terribly psyched about soloing out front, either, actually), Mike
melodiously provides a nice bottom, and Fish just funks along.  This
is really quite a funky jam, with a lot of great stuff from Page around
18 minutes (he moved back to the clavinet it sounds like.. or is that
the moog...agh).

Just a great groove in here, primarily steered by Page around 19
minutes before Fishman starts going off with some excellent fills!!
=^  =^]  YEAH!!!!!  Mike's melodious accompaniment is groovy, too.

At about 20:20 or so, Fish changes up the beat slightly (keeps time
but plays with it for a little bit).  Trey has been playing the same
groovy lick over and over and over again for the last few minutes by
the way.. this jam still funks out and kicks ass, in my opinion. Would
have had a hell of a lot of fun dancing my butt off at this show.
This Mike's Groove is so damn funky and groovy that I'm questioning my
love and affection for 12/31/95.  It is just so enchantingly groovy in
this section!!

The jam begins to cool around 21:40 or thereabouts... starts to drift
to sleep, get swept away.  Just starts sllllowly fading away.  Softly
drifting away.  Around 22:40 or so Trey moved to his mini-kit.. Fish
just drops out completely.  And Mike and Page melodiously improvise
together.  Some cymbal work from Fish around 23:10 or so in
accompaniment of Mike and Page.

At 23:25 or so Trey lets out a sustained chord on his 'doc, and the
segue into Swept Away begins quite masterfully.

WELL FUCKING DONE, Phish.  Very pleasant Mike's Song -> Jam.
Certainly improvisation that really "worked," in my opinion.  I highly
recommend hearing this "Jam."  Sure, the first ten minutes of the
Mike's Song are actually kinda dull, even downright boring, but given
the next 12 minutes or so, DAMN.  For people who like to dance and get
caught up in fiendishly groovy altered states, you should check this
out.

Swept Away and Steep are typically great.  FWIW, I really like these
tunes.  They remind me of old Floyd  --  with a splash of
Psychedelic Beatles stirred in.

At 26:55 Fish kicks out the Weekapaug drums (a > not a ->).  Mike
solos a bit in the opening, but he just climbs up his 'doc at first,
before REALLY breaking out soloing around 27:15 or something.  At
27:41 Trey starts playing the Weekapaug chords.  Kinda stopped Mike's
soloing in its tracks, in my opinion.  But whatever.

Jam segment begins at 28:36, and well.  Trey opens it up passionately
soloing in typically mellifluous fashion.  He's almost hurried.  MUST
PLAY NOTES.  RUSH!!  Around 30:24 he even trills a little bit in the
mid-range, and really lets loose (unusual so soon in Weekapaug).  He
calms down a bit --briefly -- but then around 30:50, really begins
belting it out.  Around 31:38 Trey no doubt drops a few jaws in the
audience with powerfully inspired licks reminiscent of the finest
Weekapaugian wine.  He climbs the 'doc a little bit and begins soloing
in the upper octaves, finally, and masterfully, around 32:20 or so.
Very climactic, passionate soloing from him, and the accompaniment
from Fishman in particular is also impressive around 32:45!!!  Um,
Trey.. he's just not quitting in here as usual.  Reminds me of
12/30/93, actually.

Yes!!!!  Way to drag out this passionate soloing!!!  Page and Mike and
Fish basically maintain the groove around 33::30 while Trey continues
to just majestically solo as if his JOB depended upon it!!!!!!

=^]

Truly truly, one hell of a passionate, drawn out Trey-led jam in this
Weekapaug.  I'm reminded of the non-stop active melodious soloing from
Trey in the 12/30/93 Weekapaug!!  WOW!!!!  YES!!!!!!  (34:40)
EXCELLENT BUILD UP THE 'DOC!!!!!  Those of you who don't like it when
Trey just says "I'm going to handle this" might want to avoid this.
But if you are like me, and like it when he JUST JAMS OFF THE DEEP END
and focuses on his own playing, well.  GET THIS!!!

At 35 minutes EXACTLY they cut into the CLOSING segment to Weekapaug,
and at 35:14 Weekapaug's closing lyrics kick in.  DAMN!!!  Talk about
your passionately played Olde Style Weekapaugs.  ICCULUS!!!!!

36 minutes total time, and if you would believe it, my copy cuts
basically two seconds before the end.

Oh well, doesn't matter.  This is definitely one of the finest Mike's
Grooves of 1996, along with 12/6/96 Vegas, in my opinion.  Anyone
who thinks that Deer Creek's version holds a candle to this one needs
their ears checked, in my opinion, although, in all fairness, there
was certainly some WEIRD WACKY STUFF in that Deer Creek version.

I think I would lose a lot of credibility if I did not give this
Mike's Song -> Jam -> Sept Away -> Steep > Weekapaug an A/A- rating.
It really is EXCELLENT, and well above the norm, even for the last few
years.  Even though the first ten minutes of Mike's Song are weak (see
also Vegas 12/6, coincidentally), the JAM out of Mike's Song and the
Weekapaug are simply too strong to discredit in any rational or
meaningful way.  Excellent MikeSGroove.  Vancouver is pond scum in
light of this version, not to mention St. Louis (even though part of
the St. Louis Mike's jam is damn cool).

two cents

charlie