Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinacohn
W6 2024: Live Trax 1: Worcester’s Centrum Centre, December 8, 1998
This really is a great show. Thoughts:
- To me, the Chet is the quintessential Dave guitar, and it makes certain songs shine like they don’t with other guitars. So Much to Say is a top example.
- I love and miss mid-set Stays.
- As has been said elsewhere, I prefer Tim as a guest to Tim as a member. I also think his style has evolved towards harder rock, which while I don’t dislike, I certainly like less.
- Although the 4/20/2002 version of #41 is the reference point, I actually find this version to be more true to the song. I also prefer the outro with Dave’s improvised lyrics here.
- Linus and Lucy never has, and probably never will, do it for me. If the band is going to do a cover, I’m looking for it to be really different from the original, and this isn’t that.
- The key change in The Last Stop is kinda sloppy.
- I don’t like the drawn-out ending to The Last Stop. The band has always had a tendency to do these long, slow endings (see also Seek Up, Bartender, etc.) and they don’t do it for me.
- Short sets aren't automatically bad sets!
- I’ll Back You Up needs to come back.
- Jeff seems to have stagnated. He was so brilliant back in the late 90s and early 2000s… what happened? Is it him or the band? I like him now, but I loved him back in the day.
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Interesting take on the Chet! It does sound good with the early versions of the band, but don't think it really fits the modern sound and the technology available now to have straightforward acoustics cut through the mix.
I like Tim then, and I like Tim now. But it's just hard to compare as the entire sound of the band morphed in 2008 to a more rock sound. That doesn't seem like a Tim thing as much as band decision to incorporate that aspect of his playing.
As far as Jeff goes, I also think it's a band decision. Around 2012 they really started changing his contribution. His role was so minimal on AFTW. By 2016 I think it was the biggest change overall. He and RR became a "section".
I liked it when they'd let him cut loose on #41 or WWYS. When he would walk out and jam with Carter or grab 2 saxes and put on a show. It seems intentional to keep him in the corner with RR and now let him get a moment in the spotlight. Maybe Dave got tired of that, but you'd think they'd let him bust out every now and then.
You do have to wonder with JC if it's more of great J O B these days and less of a passion/fun thing for him. DMB is his main gig. He likely does it for the fans more than anything, and he gets paid well. It only takes up 4 to 6 months of his year, and leaves him time for his other projects that seem more oriented towards his creativity and passion.