From: Charlie Dirksen
6/16/95 Walnut Creek, Raleigh, North Carolina Caught the soundcheck before this show (my first Caravan -- I know,
soundchecks don't count). They rehearsed the "Three Little Birds" (encored in Gainesville on 6/17), but only for about 20
seconds, after which Trey said "You guys got that?" (while laughing, i.e., clearly mocking the song's difficulty). Opening fine. The
pre-Nirvana build is typically beautiful, spacey and mesmerizing, but not exceptionally so. There are a few obnoxious yells in
here near the mics (!). Nirvana at about 3:08, and it is fine. Mike's solo-section at 3:50 is also Just Fine -- Mike is reasonably
active and melodious, but nothing special occurs (it isn't dark and scary, though). The pre-charge segment is ok -- Trey fudges
it a little bit at one point. The first shot at the Note is hit fine and jammed around well by Trey. The second Note is sustained
poorly unfortunately.. "Boy" at 6:28. Trey has the watery psychedelic "Leslie" guitar effect on in here a bit. This
BMGS/WUDMTF segment is funky but certainly not unusually so (there's no Fair Warning of who is about to show up). It is
pretty middle of the road, though.. typically groovy. Tramps segment begins at 8:39, and Mike employs a drippy, wet, phaaaat
effect on the signals for the tramps turns. Page's jamming in here is typically great Page -- nothing unusually meritorious. Trey
accompanies the tramps jam early in here with some chords. At 10:11 the jam segment begins, and Trey introduces Boyd, the
fiddler from the Dave Matthews Band. Boyd comes out. At 10:49 Boyd begins soloing on his electric violin, at first patiently,
but at around 11:02 he starts really getting down!! He's accompanied primarily by Mike and Fishman (Trey on rhythm guitar.. I
can't hear Page). He plays very, very well, soloing in almost "typically YEM fashion," in all seriousness (as if he'd heard several
live versions before, and knew what sort of groove to dance upon). Trey accompanies him a little bit around 12:15, but doesn't
step on Boyd's toes. Boyd just wails away in here (12:30)... at 12:50 he's done, and he walks off the stage. I was actually upset
at the show because I wanted Boyd to stay on. (great stuff from him in here!) At 13:10 Trey comes in. After that great solo
from Boyd, I thought Trey would play it pretty cool and wouldn't really try too hard to impress. I was wrong. This first minute is
like most openings of the jam segment -- primarily just a very precious Trey and Fish (Trey noodling and Fish lightly
accompanying). Trey is extremely quiet in here (14:20). At 14:35, though, the jam slowly and quietly builds.. a magnificent,
meldious, groovy crescendo develops, that includes a very active Mike Gordon. Fish also gets quite excited. Trey starts teasing
Oye Como Va around 15:28 outright, and Page throws down the Oye Chords on the piano. This typically kickass Oye Como
YEM jam builds ever sooooo steadily.. fantastic build!! The final minute of the jam, and especially Trey's very active soloing,
soundly barks like a big dog!! Bass and drums at 18:23. Mike and Fish are very active in the opening. This is an AWESOME
b&d segment, with Mike especially active and funky and Fishman accompanying quite well!!!!! Closing WUDMTF segment at
20:23. The vocal jam starts out slow and eerily with vocal-harmonizing stuff. I don't find this at all impressive or unusually odd.
It is spooky, though. Paul seems to be helping out with some sustain-effects on their voices.. Honestly, not that exciting a vocal
jam at all. Some interesting "shhhhhhhhhhh" noises mixed in with hideous semi-screams, I suppose. Fish appears to sing
something around 24:25 but I don't know what the hell he just sang/said. The last thirty seconds are pretty weird. Fish and Trey
appear to "say" something but I can't make it out. Strange. Total time 25:06. The jam segment of this YEM was PRETTY
DAMN GOOD, as was the bass and drums segment, BUT the rest of it wasn't all that hot in my opinion. I hesitate to give it
more than a B+ rating.. but perhaps an A- should be in there somewhere. Ok. B+/A- rating. The jam segment really is very
good (it could have been, and has been, better, however, imo; of course, at the show, I thought I'd heard the Greatest YEM
Ever That Was). two cents charlie