Firstly let me let all readers know... This was a hometown show for me less than 2 miles from my bed. So for that, it get extra special mention alone... coupled with the fact of a latenight show by my friends in the Animal Liberation Orchestra(ALO)... I was treated to 7+ solid hours of music each night! WOW good time cardio workout! So without further adieu..my review.

this show started very strong with the Soul shakedown party, shout out to the interwebs showing trey practicing to the photo of BoB Marley's 1979 show at the county bowl! Nice to see the band pay respect like that. Things got whirling quickly with the wedge, undermined, Horn, jesus... this show really started to feel like a vinatge 94 arrangement!

At the point of the Ocean song, winterqueen the tone got a bit mellow and spacey and I felt the need for more libations! Coming back to the floor I got totally stoked by a solid MIFE following by a blistering Split Open..full boogie time in effect...SIZZLE swerving my way into the walls I must admit in the past this wasn't my favorite song; but THIS ONE was special... It featured a very watery vibe and was in my opinion the best I had ever seen it performed live!

THE DROWNED! Oh my! just threw down so hard it was a bombastic version which fully began to solidify the SB2 oceanic theme.. rolling into to the Theme we got a treat, although I don't fully agree with Echo's heard by some. i do see the very close similarities. onward to the steam we continue the watery vibe transitioning into the waves. Twenty years was small lull in the hurricane followed by a very tight, FAST Mule (circa 97 versions). the 2001 was very well executed as well, nothing too far out, just generally better than decent.

The Mike's>Jim>Weekapaug was just silly. it was VERY refreshing to see the band break out this funky placement as we all could hear IT JUST WORKED! And for those of us lucky to be there boy howdy did it deliver...again very tight and well executed...Horse was ver cool, silent was pretty as it always is...and then POW... A scorching Antelope! My friends were giving me crap because I had called a Sb Antelope..ALAS I was so stoked to hear this song in this position... it whipped the floor into a veritable frenzy... As we spun furiously through this succinct version, it had an incendiary effect on us! LIT US UP!

All in all the Santa Barbara bowl is a truly magical place... even though you have to deal with NO PARKING, EARLY SHOWS, Mike being turned down because of strict noise ordinances..THE BOWL is still so amazing... tucked into a canyon with natural stone rock formations creating the seating sections and the edge of the bowl and hold only 4500... ITS NOT A VENUE TO BE MISSED!