(posted to rec.music.phish in 2002)

I am listening to the 8.26.93 SOAMelt while making a mix for someone to run
to. It's proving very difficult for me to type this as it is so hard to sit
still while this is going on!

The jam out of the Fee before this is pretty great, even given that this is
the end of August 1993 (and if you don't feel the awesome wave of awe and
reverance that every true fan should when hearing any 8/__/93 reference,
please, _please_, do yourself a favor and become better acquainted with this
magical month!), and part of that tremendous West-Coast week taboot, it
almost seems to foreshadow the impending madness...

It had been some time since I'd listened to this, but I know I have raved
about this particular jam before. The energy - the intensity is really more
accurate - and the flow of this jam, the subtle rises and tactful falls in
the tempo, volume and chaos as it develops is truly masterful.

Then the end - oh wow! Modulating up, down, left, right, b, a, select,
start... This is a clever device to heighten the tension, but it's employed
with such grace and virtuosity that any thoughts of this as a "canned"
technique for intensity are quickly lost. You almost feel like you're
listening to the end of Demand, right before the car crash (meaning you can
almost hear the screaming tires and ambulances within the layers). Except
the maniacal, unrelenting sense of drive and escalation combined with the
power of live music at its best is almost enough to rip you apart at the
chakras.

Anyway, just had some thoughts during this 14+ minute monster and thought
I'd sit and quickly type them before the baby wakes up from my constantly
nudging the volume higher.

Any other Melt favorites?

I also wanted to gladly offer any DAT clones of this stupendously insane
show, or if you're really behind the times like me and you'd like a cassette
tape with the following setlist (The so-called "running" mix) then drop me a
line!

Side A Side B
First Tube - 5.21.00 Radio City Crosseyed-> - 11.2.96 W Palm Beach
Poor Heart - 12.1.96 UCLA Antelope - (same as above)
SOAMelt - 8.26.93 Portland, OR Runaway Jim - 8.13.97 Star Lake
Brother - 4.4.98 Providence, RI
Tweezer* - 3.28.90 Denison, OH

*-Debut!