The Verdict:
The second Mann show is like the first one in the sense that, in the aggregate, it's a great show. The highlights happen a little more predictably here, though, and are arguably a bit stronger.
Like the first night, Mann II has a strong first set. The best part is probably the "Blaze On," "Waking Up Dead," slowed-down "Llama" sequence, but the "Mike's Groove" section that closes is better than it looks on paper, with a gorgeous "Farmhouse" and "Groove," both elevated by some stunning Trey/Page interplay on the high end.
If you like "Reba"s, this version also has a nice slow-burner jam that develops thanks in part to the purposely slow temp.
The "Crosseyed" that opens the second set goes deep, first with Trey utilizing the pitch-shifter and then later entering bliss-jam territory, but with a riff that's more than the usual bliss-jam three-chord progression. The band lands in a great The Who-sounding spot and transitions into the debut of "Friends."
Lest you be bitter about 2016 Phish and suspect this is the end of the good part of the set, don't despair. After "Friends," the guys launch into a strong "Type 1.5" "Disease" that segues beautifully into a slow, ethereal "WTU?" The "Meatstick" that follows seems appropriate tonally, but then we get a swift move into a jukebox-y fourth quarter.
Though the second set ends on a pretty uninspired note, those first five songs are a fantastic sequence, and then "Hood" is nothing to sneeze at.
The Live Review:
6/29/16: Wolfman's opener.
6/29/16: Your Pet Cat is next.
6/29/16: Standard set so far, but three-spot Blaze On has a little extra mustard.
6/29/16: Waking Up Dead debut.
6/29/16: I love this song so much.
6/29/16: New @mike_gordon album now, please!
6/29/16: Slow-funk Llama. Great sequence!
6/29/16: Great use of the echoplex during that Llama. Devotion is next.
6/29/16: Fun version of Devotion, as usual. Slow-tempo Reba is next. Happy to hear Reba for the...first time this tour?
6/29/16: Great, slowly developing Reba jam thanks to the slow tempo. Huge peak > whistling ending.
6/29/16: Trey noodles a bit after Reba. Sounds a little like a slowed-down Poor Heart.
6/29/16: 'Thinking about what other songs we can play slowly.'
6/29/16: Mike's Song instead. Trey starts at normal speed, then slows down.
6/29/16: Messing with tempo now. Crowd going nuts.
6/29/16: Mike's > Horn > Farmhouse > Groove.
6/29/16: Not the most inspiring sequence to end an otherwise strong set. Farmhouse had a particularly delicate little jam though.
6/29/16: Lots of interplay between Page and Trey.
6/29/16: Purtiest Farmhouse evar?!
6/29/16: Weekapaug has some 'They Attack!' samples at the beginning and another great Trey/Page synthesis jam during the outro.
6/29/16: C+P opener.
6/29/16: First few minutes of C+P jam is a really sharp Type I rockfest.
6/29/16: Loops now. Winding down.
6/29/16: Feels like the kind of jam Trey would usually ripcord with Twist.
6/29/16: Instead, he employs the pitch-shifter to get weird.
6/29/16: Really weird jam, with 'Still waiting...' quotes throughout.
6/29/16: Corner turning to a bliss-like jam now.
6/29/16: This bliss jam has legs. Not just a building three-chord progresion.
6/29/16: That was badass. Hunting around now for a new direction.
6/29/16: Sort-of -> Friends.
6/29/16: Neat to hear Friends live. Disease is next.
6/29/16: Disease wasting no time getting down to business. Page to electric piano.
6/29/16: More Type I jamming now, but a little outside the usual box.
6/29/16: Trey pushing for some funk.
6/29/16: Neat descending riff from Trey now.
6/29/16: Not sure if they're going to go deep on this one, but it definitely qualifies as a recent-Gins-style 'Type 1.5' jam.
6/29/16: Disease jam peters out a bit, setting up an *excellent* -> WTU? Crowd goes nuts.
6/29/16: WTU? goes the patient, delicate route and then fizzles pleasantly into a low-tempo Meatstick.
6/29/16: The way that the cheers for the end of Meatstick died out when The Line started was hilarious.
6/29/16: So, great start to this set, and honestly, great playing throughout. But after dropping two great jam sequences in a row...
6/29/16: ...a Meatstick > The Line > Tide Turns > Number Line fourth quarter just seems wilfully boring.
6/29/16: End set w/ Number Line?
6/29/16: Nope, it's an a capella number. Dem Bones!
6/29/16: Now that's cool.
6/29/16: Dear Prudence encore.
6/29/16: I feel like that Dear Prudence was a lot better played than the one a few shows ago. > Hood.
6/29/16: Jam starting out really delicately. Mike up front more than usual.
6/29/16: Slow build with some interesting drumming from Fish.
6/29/16: Great build. Perfectly placed Mike bomb during.
6/29/16: End show.
6/29/16: Another solid opening set. Great five-song sequence to open the second set. Terrible final quarter. So, yeah, another solid show.
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