Much like the Joshua trees of the Mojave, or the Steaked Cheese of Philadelphia, or the special Hepatitis you only got on Fantasy Island, the tree octopus resides in only one place on earth, the Pacific Northwest. In the forests at dusk, you can hear their familiar SHLORRRRRRRP-shmp-shmp SHLORRRRRRRP-shmp-shmp up and down the redwoods as the smart and graceful (yet slimy) creatures hunt for squirrels, jackdaws, and lost monkeys.
From Olympia to Vancouver and all the way down to that part of California that’s basically South Oregon, the tree octopus lives a quiet life, only occasionally dropping out of trees only people’s faces. If you didn’t want cephalopods ambushing you from above, then you shouldn’t have gone hiking, is my feeling.
The indigenous invertebrate is also, of course, the inspiration for long-time friend of the blog, Mr. Completely, who patrols the streets of Portland as the Tree Octopus, no matter how many times the police ask him to stop, or how many appointments with therapists his family makes.
He’s even got a theme song!
Tree Octopus, Tree Octopus:
He’ll extrude his stomach over you,
And digest you alive!
If he thinks you’re a criminal.
In between stopping crimes and eating criminals, the Tree Octopus makes recommendations, and this one is a doozy: 9/12/87 from Maryland. There is a Cumberland, but it does not count.
The Loser counts, though. Garcia has a great night, vocally and instrumentally, and he states his intention to fuck shit up during his first tune. There is something about this version in particular that–and I cannot say precisely why this came to mind–makes you think that Garcia truly enjoyed singing this song.
Phil also enjoys singing Tom Thumb’s Blues, and I’m just going to end the sentence here.
What about Samson? Does Garcia do that thing, that awesome little thing, where he holds out the “down” in “tear this whole building down?” He totally does, yo.
There is so much goodness!
And then there is the Morning Dew, which draws up a 50 Shades of Grey-style sexual contract with you, has it notarized, and then immediately and deliberately does all the stuff you didn’t want, plus a lot of stuff you didn’t even know existed.
This Dew will do things to your butt, and not just your physical butt: your emotional butt. This Morning Dew will fist the butthole of your heart.
I need you to stop this right now.
What?
“What?” Fuck you, that’s what. This is why you don’t get invited to contribute to box sets.
…
Aw.
You deserve the truth.
I know; still hurts.
I for one would gladly pay for the box-sets instead of my usual “borrowing”, if they invited you to contribute
Spencer is now the King of the Commentators.
What are you thoughts on post-Pig “lovelights”?
the 9/10/91 is wonderful, the OOPS show’s energy pulls it through. There are a couple other good ones.
Lot of the time, though, it just seemed like they were itching to get off the stage during that one.
On that Lovelight, Branford Marsalis schools Jerry on just how ridiculous he sounds when he sets his guitar midi effects to sax. I swear I don’t know what I dislike more, Jerry playing MIDI Sax or Donna doing the Yoko One Primal Scream.
The last time i heard them play it was 3/20/92 in Hamilton,Ont. No complaints at the time, but upon relisten too much midi- horn chicanery.
Ah yes, the “2 Melindas” show.
Explain?
“sweet Melinda the peasants call her the goddess of gloom”
and
“I can’t stay much longer, Melinda”
Assessing the significance of this is left as an exercise for the reader.
I’m a sucker for any show that opens with Hell in a Bucket. If Jerry’s on for that one, you’re set.
This one’s all killer, no filler. Truly kick-ass show with some special surprises and an unbelievably good early Healy Ultramix that, after your brain adjusts to it, sounds just exactly you know what.
I have these shitty little pc speakers at the office and it even sounds big coming out of them.