Verdict:
The first set is the typically well-played, well-constructed set we've gotten (almost too) used to throughout this tour, made even a bit more effective than usual thanks to "Zero" opener and a set of rare and older songs that shift it from a "If you like these songs..." sort of affair to a "Since you definitely like these songs..." sort of affair.
The S2-opening "Rock and Roll" jam is forgettable, following the tired old early-3.0 jam template as it does. The easy highlight of the show, though is "Caspian" > "Tweezer." "Caspian" gets off to a slow, whaley start but quickly moves into a loop-filled nearly-percussion-free space that highlights Trey and Mike's collective melodic playing for some of the more interesting exploration thus far this summer. The "Tweezer" is not exploratory at all, but it's no slouch, and a segue into a cleverly mellow and melodic "Slave" doesn't hurt, either.
Overall, though, despite some excellent setlist choices, the show is sabotaged a bit by its predictability (at this point in the tour) and over-reliance on the whale pedal (seriously, it's an effect, not a consistent tone).
Review:
7/3/10: Alright, time for the last run of Summer I in Alpharetta!
7/3/10: Zero as show opener. I think I vastly prefer it as an opener than a closer. Except at Gorge '13, of course.
7/3/10: Actually, I might take that back. Zero as a slower, warm-up song is a little weird.
7/3/10: 1,000th tweet for what I believe is the second Destiny Unbound of 3.0 (first on was Gorge '09).
7/3/10: Wow. Trey usually botches Rift, but this was above and beyond. He dropped out completely for a good 30 seconds at one point.
7/3/10: Rough start to McGrupp (!), but a nice Page-led, salsa-jazz style jam in the middle makes up for it.
7/3/10: Early(ish) Gin. Trey singing along with Page's piano.
7/3/10: This Gin is extended and blessedly empty of whale pedal (for the most part). Trey slowly easing into his usual solid shredding.
7/3/10: Follow-up with Mountains in the Mist. The usual great set construction, but with a rarities flavor. Liking it so far.
7/3/10: Mountains in the Mist is pretty much made for a whale solo, but I've heard it used so much lately there's no novelty to it.
7/3/10: NICU next, with a solo from 'Leon.'
7/3/10: Gumbo, and My Sweet One with a 'bluegrass bass' solo from Mike.
7/3/10: As is becoming usual, there's no outstanding moments in this set, but it's solid front-to-back so far (minus some Rift issues).
7/3/10: Stealing Time was a pretty strong mixture of whale-jamming and normal rock shredding.
7/3/10: Strange Design! I know I usually talk up the great song choices in these 2010 S1s, but this one is extra great.
7/3/10: Good mix of rarities and older songs, with the occasional, well-placed newer song.
7/3/10: SANITY! Trey gets the lyrics for the second verse from the audience. Some particularly insane
laughter between verses.
7/3/10: Yes, I just reviewed the quality of the laughter in Sanity.
7/3/10: What else do you close a mostly-oldies S1 with? Antelope, of course.
7/3/10: S2 kicks off with Rock and Roll. Pretty standard Type I business with a few Mike and Page flourishes thrown in for good measure.
7/3/10: Last minute of the jam transitions into the tried-and-true distorted space-funk that pops up so often in these early 3.0 jams.
7/3/10: Quick segue into Caspian.
7/3/10: Trey's putting the whale pedal to decent effect here in Caspian.
7/3/10: Mellows out around 6:00, Trey starts up some guitar loops.
7/3/10: Fish has dropped out completely, maybe Mike too.
7/3/10: Really neat jam space here. Would love about ten minutes of this.
7/3/10: That's okay, a > Tweezer is a good enough consolation prize :)
7/3/10: Some serious funk riffage from Trey and Mike in the early bit of this Tweezer.
7/3/10: Wow. This Tweezer doesn't go anywhere weird, but it's a perfect funk-rock, 'standard' version. Really, really solid.
7/3/10: Oh, and if that wasn't enough, we end with a great little fade-out -> Slave.
7/3/10: Great, super mellow Slave jam with a 45 second (?) sustained note from Trey.
7/3/10: Bouncin' now. Great Caspian > Tweezer -> Slave, but I think that might be it for the jamming for the night.
7/3/10: Perfectly serviceable late-set Possum, followed by Number Line.
7/3/10: Number Line's good, too, albeit a bit too whaley. I just get a little frustrated when S2s coast to a stop like this, I guess.
7/3/10: Really great Trey and Mike interplay at the beginning of this Hood jam.
7/3/10: Really great melodic playing, similar to the earlier Slave.
7/3/10: Really great Really great aaaagh I'm tweeting too much about shows that all sort of sound the same help
7/3/10: The whale is seriously calling here at the peak of this Hood.
7/3/10: Very similar to the Slave: great, mellow melodic build, but then a messy, disjointed peak.
7/3/10: Trey's bringing the house down on this Loving Cup, too. Maybe I should give up and accept the Summer of Shredding.
7/3/10: Welp, Sleeping Monkey, Tweeprise encore'll wrap this one up. One bright spot early in the second set, but otherwise typical 2010.
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