This is pretty damn cool due to the free afternoon soundcheck, essentially making this a three set show. In fact, you can find shaky video of the soundcheck on PooTube here:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5BD6A7F262A7F256 />
They played some pretty random covers that have never seen the light of day during a show proper, so I recommend listening to the soundcheck too just for novelty's sake. As for the show itself... fans must have been thinking "they've GOT to play YEM today right?", given that this was the closest gig to Firenze the band would play all tour (~150 miles). And they'd go nuts in the vocal jam right? More on that later...

The Jim opener is spot on and works well, as usual. BoMD and DST are fine, but this Stash is pretty freaking great. The composed section is totally nailed, and the jam starts drifting in a sort of August '93 Stash style with undertones of DEG-like patterns and type II tomfoolery. By the 14 minute mark things are reeled back in a bit, but it's a highly percussive version of the Stash closing jam before one final build-up that Trey drives home. The rest of the set is just sort of going through the motions -- it's well played, but nothing crazy happens for the most part, though Scent of a Mule gets waaaaay the hell out there and should be checked out if you're a SoaMule fan.

The second set is really short at 51 minutes. This definitely isn't the same type of 5 song second set that would pop up in the fall (i.e. full of -> and over an hour of wall-to-wall improvisation). The opening Free is solid, and brings some filthy funk during the jam that sounds almost 2003ish. Then we get the YEM that was sure to come -- only the second of this tour actually. I can only imagine the goofy grins on people's faces who flew all the way across the world and were seeing Phish so close to Florence and hearing them sing "Wash uffize drive me to Firenze!". I don't know, maybe I think it's a lot cooler than it is, but I'd be giddy as hell. The YEM jam is funky and long, and they skip the vocal jam and instead -> Waste! Maybe they didn't want to offend any Italians in attendance with their fake Italianglish gibberish... around the 20 minute mark the mood moves from funky to spacey, maybe foreshadowing the predominant styles of Fall '97. This YEM is really great, but isn't necessary to hear by any stretch as there's nothing super unique about it except for where it was played. They end the show with three covers and we're off to France again for a chance meeting with the Flecktones.

SET 1: Runaway Jim: Nice rager out of the gate. Plenty of Trey trills.

The Old Home Place: Standard.

Dogs Stole Things: Standard.

Stash: left of at 3.39. Gets into that signature 97 dissonance around the 9 and a half minute mark. Gets really hairy! Lots of tension being built in the late 11’s – not your typical Stash tension, this one is of a very funky nature, lots of Trey porno funk type stuff. Back in normal Stash territory around the late 13’s. Huge wall of tension built in the late 14’s. Nice first payoff at 15:40. Another wall of major tension built at 16 with a decent payoff at 16:23. This is an excellent Stash that I would definitely recommend. This one is more about the body of work than it is the climax. Check it out, it’s well worth the 17 minute investment.

The Horse > Silent in the Morning >

Cars Trucks Buses:

Scent of a Mule: At around 5:20 this one goes full 97 with that signature tone from Trey that is just odd/weird – you know the one – this one gets into a very cool space with Trey and Page making waves. This doesn’t last too long, about a minute and a half and then back to your normal Mule stuff. This is a jam charts version. I personally would recommend it but if you are a Mule fan you may want to check this one out.

Chalk Dust Torture: Trey gives this a proper ripping.

SET 2: Free: This one gets that crunchy signature summer 97 Trey tone with Page behind him with some interesting synth type stuff. This is really quite good.

You Enjoy Myself: Very, very funky in the early stages of the jam with Trey doing his 97 porno funk thing, Mike throwing down bombs, Page syncing up beautifully with Trey and Fish driving the bus. Page drops the funk at the 13 minute mark and looks to start shredding. I love the loops that Trey throws down at the 18 minute mark – from here things are going into outer space a bit. Fantastic stuff in here! I love this jam, no B&D or VJ, it just melts into… >

Waste: Very cool, love this is this spot. It’s perfect.

Rocky Top: Standard. >

Funky Bitch: Standard.

ENCORE: My Soul – Standard.

Replay Value: Stash, Free, You Enjoy Myself

Summary: Pretty darn good show. Phish.net: Overall: 3.328/5 (61 ratings). To me, that seems low. Stash and YEM are big highlights and Free is quite good too. Mule if you are in to that also. So, for me; I would be fine at a 3.7 out of 5. Granted the second set is very short at 51 minutes but they make up for it with a 44 minute afternoon soundcheck that was free and open to the public.

One of those "Burnt Out" shows.

Maybe it was the extended soundcheck or the guys weren't sleeping too well but this show just gives off the impression of being exhausted.

There's not really too much to write about for the first set besides Stash which kind of picks up it's jam legs after the epic Paradiso version a few days earlier. It picks up steam and goes into a weird chaotic jam followed by a tense little groove. Mule is especially sloppy. The remainder of the set is a bunch of straightforward quick tunes that don't add to the show much.

Overall a pretty forgettable show, one of the weakest from this tour.

Set 2 opens with a free with a different midsection, instead of the pulsing groove you typically get this one is very funk influenced not by way of the bass groove but by Page and Trey's playing with Wah and clav effects. YEM is somewhat awkward to my ears because you can hear the guys really trying to jam this one out, it feels very forced. Unfortunately it comes out as they can't really keep a decent idea together and it all feels somewhat disorganized. It is notable for not having a vocal jam though.