Verdict:
So I thought that this show was a bit of an improvement over CMAC, but not by much. The first set, while built with the same brilliance as most 2010 S1s so far, is marred by a pretty serious dip in energy compared to previous shows. The whole precise, predictable, workmanlike approach to S1s only really works when there's the enthusiasm to back it up, and it's mostly lacking here.
The energy comes back a bit in the second set, but it ends up being more like another first set, so I don't know how much of a consolation that is. A promising "Halley's" makes a great -> into a "Light" that explores a space that melds '09 ambient jamming with '10 loop-jamming pretty brilliantly, if briefly. "Light Up Or Leave Me Alone" features an excellent Trey solo, and the band finally gets back on their usual track...oh, right around the "Boogie On" encore.
Live Review:
7/2/10: I usually find 3.0 Llamas pretty tepid, and this one isn't much different, but Mike's doing his best to hearken back to the 90s.
7/2/10: Always glad to hear Roses, but this version is a bit flat. Hope this isn't a sign of things to come.
7/2/10: Okay, there's a little swagger peeking through in this KDF solo.
7/2/10: Time Loves a Hero cover next.
7/2/10: Not too familiar with this tune, but I like Fish's drumming quite a bit.
7/2/10: Now Alaska. The guys sound tired. Not sloppy, just tired.
7/2/10: Fast Water in the Sky!
7/1/10: Ah, crap. Last few tweets should obviously be 7/1/10, not 7/2/10.
7/1/10: Standard S1 Jim, Moma. So far it's an average set lacking the usual '10 energy that boosts it to slightly above average.
7/1/10: Maybe this Divided Sky will help kick things up a notch.
7/1/10: This DSky jam is whale-ful. The composed part was pretty sharp, though.
7/1/10: Looks like Cavern to close S1. This set has been pretty underwhelming.
7/1/10: Really, all that's really saved many of the paint-by-numbers S1s lately has been the band's energy. Even that's gone tonight.
7/1/10: S2 opens with Number Line. Trey is whale-shredding the crap out of it. At the very least, the guys sound a bit more awake now.
7/1/10: Solid Halley's with a neat -> Light.
7/1/10: Well, there's a fair amount of whale-wanking until the 7:00 mark, when Trey pulls everyone else into space with feedbacked chords.
7/1/10: Page has a nice piano riff going here, Mike playing something angular and dark on top of it.
7/1/10: Really neat rhythm-heavy jam space here. Trey and Page playing delicately on top of it.
7/1/10: At the 12:00 mark, Trey brings back the Light riff out of the ambient space. Neat jam.
7/1/10: Average-great Fluffhead. The > Have Mercy is awesome, though. Love this cover.
7/1/10: Light Up Or Leave Me Alone mega-bustout features some absolutely SERIOUS Trey soloing. First time he's sounded like himself tonight.
7/1/10: Pretty typical Mike-based Free > Velvet Sea. Weird time for the setlist to get jukeboxy, but there it is.
7/1/10: Coil, Suzy to finish S2. Really weird end to a weird set.
7/1/10: Light > Fluff > Have Mercy, Light Up was a great run in the middle of the set.
7/1/10: But the beginning was standard S1 fare and the second half is one of those shows where they play like 4 'closer' songs in a row.
7/1/10: To be fair, this is a pretty hoppin' version of Suzy. Page is nuts, and Fish is having a great time with his screaming parts.
7/1/10: Extended Boogie On as the encore eases the pain a bit.
7/1/10: This is what the majority of most '10 shows sound like, which is what makes the lack of jamming palatable.
7/1/10: In this show, though, they pretty much saved it for the encore.
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