From: Charlie Dirksen
9/9/89  Bennington College, Bennington, VT

This version is a touch slower than all those reviewed so
far, and no, it isn't my copy... the key sounds right.
Some botched notes in this opening from Trey (not a pretty
thing..).  Many botched notes, actually.. geezus.  This is
the worst opening I've reviewed to date. Yuck. ("opening" as
in before the pre-Nirvana segment begins)  Nirvana is
good, as usual.  Mike's solo section is typical (not much
action from Mike.. just laid back groovin).  Almost reggae
beat from Fish in here, though.  Pre charge is terrible..
some serious botched notes from Trey, not much action from
him at all.  I think something must be wrong with him
and/or his gear.  The first hit at the Note is just
pitifully lame.. so bad that it is funny.  And he does the
same thing again.. (intentionally) he knows that this
whole opening segment is just toast, and so he honestly
just f@cks around in here.  Just terrible.  Hideous.  I
think he must be having trouble with his guitar or
something.. Damn this is awful.  Leaps and
bounds worse than anything I've heard in this opening
segment since I started reviewing.  Yuck.  Charge at 5:22
or so.

"Boy" at 5:39, after a quite appropriate scream from
Trey.  WUDMTF segment is laid back, slower than usual
(this whole version is slower than usual).  Crap from Trey
(chords, little hits here and there on notes).  Very
dull.  Hopefully Page will lighten things up.. not
really.  Page really isn't very active in here,
compared to what he usually did on the Hammond(?) back then.
He gets more active close to 10 mins.. but still, nothing
that impressive.

Accompaniment from the others is fine.. this version just
slogs, though.  It really does.  Trey breaks in jamming
around 11.  He does some nice sliiiiiiding around.
Reasonable jamming from him in here, but not nearly as
exciting as the two 5/89 versions I've reviewed.  Still
not that shabby, especially in light of the terrible
opening segment.  Perhaps more repetitive than usual,
though, in many ways..  well below average without
question, however.  This whole version is just not even
close to awesome.. I love YEM and Phish, though, so I'd
still put this above most songs by other bands that I've
heard.  Trey does come around in the end, trilling madly
as he often does before bass and drums kick in.. at 14:28
(Crowd loved it! ;).

Very dull bass and drums.. Mike is very bluesy, laid
back.. nothing quick and snappy.. very mellllooooooooow..
some vocal noises from Trey and Page begin around at
15:10, playing with Mike... fun!  Mike mimics them too on
the bass.. ;)  This is pretty cool!  Accompanied modest
vocal jamming.  Trey is saying something "You getcha loan
ticket" or something.. this accompanied vocal jam is
great.  At 17:19, Fish drops out, and it is just vocal
jamming.  Rhythmic vocal jamming (bow-m chicka
chicka..;).  This is definitely one of the more
melodically engaging vocal jams I've reviewed up to this
point.. Trey starts playing around 18:40.. plucking.. Page
starts up soon.. they just pluck away, on the "theme" of
the vocal jam.  Then Fish and Mike come in around 19:10..
jamming on this almost "Dog Log" (aka Dog Done Gone) like
groove.   They stop vocal jamming, and just jam on this
"theme" that they'd vocal jammed on.  Some fun fills from
Fish.  Beat picks up slightly.. at 21:06 Page starts
chording... and by 21:30, the jam starts sounding like a
segue... the beat steadily and pleasantly picks up... very
repetitive stuff from Page and Mike in here.. Trey is
plucking away.  At 22 minutes or so, Trey starts
playing Alumni Blues in a different key (Alumni, not
Letter)... and by 22:23 everyone is playing Alumni.
Excellent segue! (and a great Alumni) (D/D+ rating)