@JeremyHillaryBoob_PhD said:

@Bogotafee5514 said:

^^^^

Been saying it for years that Fall 2000 had around a half dozen major exploratory Pipers, each one unique, but also with a tinge of that Fall 2000 Sludge, Phish at it's most Neil Young Tonight's The Night period. And that Fiddler's Geen version is so great to finally be able to fully appreciate. The Rosemont Piper from N2 oh so needs to be heard in SBD too. All the Fall 2000 Pipers need to be heard and seen for what they are and what that time meant and what a cool sound the band had going. Loose Sludge'D w/Effortlessness and a sense of it winding down....down.....down....come on baby let's go.

This is a great analogy, esp given that the only times they played Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown were during that tour. Now I kinda want to hear them crank out Lookout Joe.

Hot take - I'm a little underwhelmed on this Live Bait. The Piper -> Gumbo is absolute top-notch jamming (that quick whammy pedal note-bending section Trey hits in Piper is found in a lot of other songs that tour, not just Pipers). But I don't listen to a lot of pre-'97 Phish; acid jazz Phish doesn't do a whole lot for me.

Compared to other LBs, I'm also feel underwhelmed, but it's all fine since this is free unreleased music from the greatest live improvisors ever.

The Piper -> Gumbo is more of the underwhelming part. I need to listen again, but the Piper jam had some repetitive stuff that didn't translate as strong minimalist groove fest. So many are clamoring for 2000, so maybe I was influenced by that.

The Reba is spectacular and the Spring 94 material is excellent. Then the YEM from fall 92 is just under those.