The Verdict:
I'm always interested to see with these setlist-gimmick-type shows how much the gimmick helps and how much it hinders the band in playing a good show. Sometimes, the gimmick can push the band out of its comfort zone, to excellent results. Sometimes, having to stick to the gimmick keeps the band from getting as far out there as they might otherwise. In this case, "The S Show" causes a bit of both reactions.
The novelty of the setlist leads to a great first set, with a lot of the great 2011-style first set playing that we're used to at this point mixed with just enough bustouts to keep things interesting. A slowed-down "Susskind Hotel" is awesome, and the "Sally" -> "Sparks" combo is worth a listen, as "Sally" head-fakes toward a plinko jam and then heads in a different direction for a few minutes before setting up a great segue into the bustout "Sparks." The other legit highlight of the first set is "Split," which gets a bit more abstract than usual.
The second set suffers a bit from the gimmick: there's little jamming to be had here as the band still has twelve more "S" songs to get through, dammit! That said, the opening "Sand" is a strong Type I version, and "Simple" gets weird for a few minutes before transitioning to a solid "Steam."
"Seven Below" briefly but beautifully visits the Storage Unit, and that's about it for highlights.
Near the end of the second set, "Scents" shows up, and is nice as a bustout, but the jam doesn't do much but serve as a prelude for the similar but more peaky "Slave" jam that follows a song later.
Overall, there's a lot to like about this show, but it's spread out a bit as opposed to being focused on one or two particular highlights. It might not reach the heights of the first two UIC shows, but it's still a great show for 2011, and not just because of the gimmick.
The Live Review:
9/2/11: Dick's run starts off with Sample.
9/2/11: Will the S Show's playing transcend its gimmick? Find out in 3 or so hours!
9/2/11: Sparkle, The Sloth.
9/2/11: Weird start to it, but they're playing Sweet Virginia.
9/2/11: Uptempo version of Suskind Hotel next. Nice, piano-heavy version of Sweet Virginia.
9/2/11: Strange Design! If nothing else, this show should bring out some fun rarities.
9/2/11: Stash
9/2/11: Great version of Stash. Sally is next.
9/2/11: Sally jam started going plinko but then changed direction. Mike taking over now.
9/2/11: Natural little wind-down after a great jam. Aaaaaand -> Sparks!
9/2/11: Scent of a Mule next.
9/2/11: Trey just worked over Stealing Time Hendrix-style.
9/2/11: Split, presumably to end the set.
9/2/11: Guitar loops and tension coming up in this Split jam.
9/2/11: Pitch-shifter in action now. Droning.
9/2/11: Sudden transition back to the Split theme, and then end song. Coil will in fact end the set.
9/2/11: Bit more driving outro to Coil than usual this time around.
9/2/11: In generally, that was impressively good first set, gimmick and all.
9/2/11: A few fun rarities broke up the jukebox feel, as did an interesting take on Stash and legit jams in Sally and Split.
9/2/11: Set two starts with Sand.
9/2/11: Nice Type I Sand. Simple is next.
9/2/11: Type I jam into a synth drone with almost no percussion/rhythm.
9/2/11: Fish coming back in now.
9/2/11: Nice segue out of the drone into Steam.
9/2/11: Solid Steam, next is Soul Shakedown Party.
9/2/11: Seven Below! I guess it was inevitable, but I still love this song.
9/2/11: Page to the clav for some space-funk action.
9/2/11: Really neat plinko-by-way-of-Storage-Jam bit in the middle of Seven Below. Now outro-ing with some evil ambient space.
9/2/11: Suzy!
9/2/11: Suzy ends with a huge guitar peak -> Scents!
9/2/11: Piano-heavy, Slave-type jam in Scents.
9/2/11: After the vocal refrain, Trey just takes off with a huge guitar outro.
9/2/11: Interestingly, > Slave.
9/2/11: Trey holding a single note forever in this Slave build-up, while everyone else plays around him.
9/2/11: Slave had an especially crazy peak there. Set keeps rolling, though, with Silent (no Horse).
9/2/11: Silent > Sanity.
9/2/11: Trey singing the lyrics to Sanity by stressing all the 'Ssss's.
9/2/11: Lots of hissing from the band, post-song.
9/2/11: Sweet Adeline to close S2.
9/2/11: Aaaaaaand Sabotage encore. What else?!
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