The Verdict:
Alright, so the fourth and final MSG show reprises the pattern of the first three nights in that there's a pretty unremarkable first set, and some less-than-ideal moments in the second set, but all of this is potentially redeemed by some of the best (if not the best) jamming of the year.
This night it's the "Tweezer" that bails out a performance that otherwise lags a bit, but I'm getting ahead of myself. The first set is well-played but doesn't really contain anything notable, except for the fact that the entire set with the exception of the "Your Pet Cat" opener could have come straight out of the mid-90s. If you're into that sort of thing (and I am, at least a little bit), then you might get more mileage out of this set than others will. I'll confess that it was neat to feel like I was listening to an old Phish show, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the set was arranged that way on purpose.
Structurally, the second set is remarkably like a certain second set that took place in Tahoe last time the band was there, but frankly is a bit more effective as a whole than that set. The "Tweezer" here isn't quite as stupefying as the Tahoe version, but the difference isn't as pronounced as you might think. After one listen, I'm ready in an admittedly kneejerk way to call this "Tweezer" my favorite jam of the year. It's extremely good. And then, unlike the rest of the Tahoe "Tweezer" set, which sort of fades into the background of the massive jam, this set offers up some more (smaller) gems: a "Sand" that deconstructs itself impressively after some catchy funk, a "Hood" that is compact but moves effortlessly from blues-rock Type II jamming to a raucous peak, and the obligatory "YEM" that sounds anything but obligatory.
It's a great closing set for a run that, for my money, has offered up the highest highs of the year, albeit while otherwise being less consistent than, say, your Magnaballs.
On to Mexico and glory!
The Live Review:
1/2/16: Your Pet Cat opener. Trey's sounding mighty limber for night four.
1/2/16: ACDC Bag. I feel like I haven't heard this one for a long time.
1/2/16: Fish is playing a harder beat, I think, than usual. Less shuffle, more rock.
1/2/16: Laid-back soloing from Trey regardless. Typical build ends on a loop that segues into NICU.
1/2/16: It's Ice!
1/2/16: And...yes. Funk-breakdown time.
1/2/16: Solid version of It's Ice, followed by Horn.
1/2/16: In keeping with the other three opening sets at MSG this year, this is a pretty pedestrian outing so far.
1/2/16: Lots of jukebox songs, though I guess it's worth mentioning that they're slightly rarer jukebox songs.
1/2/16: It's also worth mentioning that TWEEZER IS LOOMING
1/2/16: Divided Sky! I did *not* see that coming. Have they even played DSky at all this year yet?!
1/2/16: Nope, they've played it a few times this year.
1/2/16; Nice version. Ending jam was a little all over the place at first, but Trey eventually brings it up to a boil.
1/2/16: Axila I, now. Minus YPC, this almost seems like a mid-90s setlist. It's weird. I'm not complaining...I don't think?
1/2/16: Butt-slammed into Maze.
1/2/16: Fantastic Trey/Page tension build in Maze. I mean, I know they do that every time, but this time was extra hot.
1/2/16: Train Song! This is seriously a mid-90s set.
1/2/16: Page actually biffed a part there. That's a new one!
1/2/16: Julius closer. Yep. After this I'm going to listen to my Collective Soul and Pearl Jam cassette tapes.
1/2/16: But which will I listen to first? I HAVEN'T DECIDED
1/2/16: I SEE WHAT I DID THERE
1/2/16: Julius is Julius, albeit with some excellent 90sish fills thrown in there.
1/2/16: End set. Was that 2016, or 1996?
1/2/16: HERE'S DAT TWEEZ
1/2/16: Trey abandoning the Tweezer riff early to jam between verses. That's got to be a good sign.
1/2/16: Blast back into the riff after the bridge. Crowd is LOSING IT ALREADY
1/2/16: I have a good feeling about this one.
1/2/16: Trey is laying down a solid melody, but it doesn't matter because Mike is absolutely lifting off.
1/2/16: Mike and Fish are giving this thing a totally insane momentum.
1/2/16: Now Trey is just exploding.
1/2/16: Natural move toward Evil Loop Land.
1/2/16: Page and Trey trading quick arpeggios now. Clav and pitch-shifter.
1/2/16: Now the rest of the band has a sort of proggy-sounding background going and Trey's laying down a melody over it.
1/2/16: THIS SOLO
1/2/16: Trey has seriously been playing 3-4 minutes straight of something that sounds completely composed. Now moving to funk chords.
1/2/16: Build now, sort of reminiscent of the Dick's Disease.
1/2/16: Trey starts up Sand somewhat suddenly after the build.
1/2/16: Does it matter if it's a ripcord if he's ripcording what was already the best jam of the year?
1/2/16: 'That could have gone on for ten more minutes, Trey! But I also might have died from a brain aneurysm...so...thanks?'
1/2/16: Great Sand jam here. Sounds absolutely effortless after that Tweezer.
1/2/16: There are an above-average amount of guitar notes in this song.
1/2/16: A drop into...plinko? Sort of?
1/2/16: Sand is wrapping up with a sort-of 2001 jam and then a transition back into the Sand riff.
1/2/16: LxL.
1/2/16: Weird placement for LxL. Strong version, though, > Suzy.
1/2/16: Hood!
1/2/16: Really interesting blues jam forming in the middle of Hood.
1/2/16: This jam officially does not resemble Hood at all, now.
1/2/16: Really quick build and peak. That was interesting.
1/2/16: Weird loop drawn out for thirty seconds or so, then > YEM.
1/2/16: Groove-heavy, Mike-and-Fish led jam early on in YEM.
1/2/16: Page on what I think is a synth jamming with Mike now.
1/2/16: The Lizards encore!
1/2/16: Tweeprise to close.
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