By Summer ’93, the band had settled back into a single keyboard arrangement, and Vince had found his place in the mix. Dan Healy was making his own Ultramatrix mixes in this period, but I felt the need to make my own matrix for some of these performances. The AUD is always hot in the Healy mixes. A contributing factor was that the guitarists had foot pads that enabled them to cut the high end and cymbals from their monitor mix when stepped on. This feature makes the soundboard mix suffer, as we lose cymbals in the mix due to Jerry’s whim.
"Help On The Way > Slipknot > Franklin’s Tower" openers are a good sign, and this version is no slouch. Healy is still mixing the band for the early parts of "Help on the Way", but Jerry’s voice is in fine form when audible. "Slipknot" in this era is about as close as the band would get to free form modal jams, and Bobby takes some liberties with chord choices here. "Franklin’s Tower" needs something special to set it apart from the rest, and this version succeeds. Check out Jerry coming back with emphasis on the outro lyrics.
The set continues with a few tried and true songs: a bouncy take on "It’s All Over Now" and an extended "Stagger Lee". Dare I say Vince contributes a lot to the "Stagger Lee"?
I’ll point out here that Bobby seemed to prefer covers to originals on this tour. Of his three first set songs on this “show”, "When I Paint My Masterpiece" and "It’s All Over Now" outnumber his original, "Eternity". This is not an oversight - many shows are like this. I’ve read that he was struggling with vocal nodes on this tour, as well. "Eternity" is well-played, although the song rarely (in any performance) took on a transcendental level of enjoyment. Just hone in on Jerry’s Leslie tone on his solo, and think of it as jazz.
Most first sets from the tour featured two of their “new” songs, and the "So Many Roads" presented here is a great candidate. It hadn’t yet carried the mantle of a classic, which it later acquired. Next up is a Dylan double-header from Phil and Bobby.
"Bertha" starts set two. I had to check the tape to make sure it wasn’t sped up - that’s how fast this version is. Vince usually had the number two spot on this tour for "Way To Go Home", and I find the song enjoyable enough. They would make use of vocal effects in the later ‘90s, but at this point the song is just a rock-ish tune.
The "Estimated Prophet" through "He’s Gone" bears repeat listens. The MIDI patch on Jerry’s solo in "Estimated" is clear, and his playing is inspired throughout. "Spoonful" offers some darkness before the revelation of "He’s Gone".
Space through "Good Lovin’" comes with no setlist surprises - the choices are pedestrian for the era. But as is so common on this tour, Jerry seemed to wake up during Drums. He comes out energized and playing a clean solo on "I Need A Miracle", especially compared to Bobby’s trashy digital distortion. The jam hits a wall as Jerry (likely on their talkback mics) announces "Stella Blue". Vince’s bell tones must have been infectious, because Jerry selects ringing, MIDI cathedral bells during his final solo.
It’s then Bobby’s turn to take charge, with "Good Lovin’" pasted over the "Stella" outro. MIDI trumpets make an appearance here, but that's not really a surprise for the '90s. "Gloria" was a rare treat from ’79-’85, and the song became a staple encore in ’92 and ’93. When "Gloria" wasn't being played, the encore spot was often occupied by "Liberty" or a cover.
Once your ears adjust to the wide stereo image mix, a good time can be had in ’93! I hope this collection proves that point.
First Set
Help On The Way > (6.9.93)
Slipknot > (6.9.93)
Franklin's Tower (6.9.93)
It's All Over Now (6.8.93)
Stagger Lee (6.18.93)
Eternity (6.16.93)
So Many Roads (6.21.93)
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues > (6.11.93)
When I Paint My Masterpiece (6.11.93)
Don't Ease Me In (6.15.93)
Running Time: 64:45
Second Set
Bertha (6.9.93)
Way To Go Home (6.26.93)
Estimated Prophet > (6.15.93)
Spoonful > (6.15.93)
He's Gone > (6.15.93)
Drums > (6.15.93) Space > (6.16.93)
I Need A Miracle > (6.16.93)
Stella Blue > (6.16.93)
Good Lovin' (6.16.93)
E: Gloria (6.15.93)
Running Time: 75:35