Speaking of 7/3, I’ll just come out and say it - this Linear is better than Seattle '13.
Blasphemy! Blasphemy, I say to you.
(July 3 is a good version, but I would argue that August 16 is even better – acknowledging Kris really drives the end. Neither of which touches the creativity and bliss that is Seattle 2013.)
It wasn’t an easy call to make. I have attendance bias for Seattle '13, and I haven’t heard a Linear since that came close. And then 7/3 came along…
The 8/16 is a great version - I’ll definitely give you that!
Speaking of 8/16, that Jajunk jam is super tasty, very 2011ish grooving dance jam.
Once again I am bringing up 8/30 Linear. I know it’s a little shorter than the others (mainly due to coming out of 2 huge jams in cut off > eat) at like a 7 minute jam but it’s still awesome, and has an incredible peak to round it out. I like that peak more than 7/3 personally.
I’m not saying it’s as good as 7/3 or 4/4 but it’s up there.
7/3, 4/4, 8/16, 8/30 and 2/1 are all really good versions of Linear. I could be forgetting others but all 5 of these stand out to me.
10/17 is great as well. Always like the dark proggy jams that Linear spawns. Even a pretty minor version like 2/14 has a spooky aura that I like.
I find Linear jams to be unique because they don’t have a lot of jam vehicles in that tempo. I find that tempo to be super driving at both half time and double time so I always look forward to Linear jams. I like 8/30 Eat > Linear because both of those jams are at that tempo essentially.
What is linear usually? Bout 130bpm or something like that?
Probably closer to 160ish off the top of my head
No question! Those are all great versions. I’m a Linear sucker as it is. It’s definitely my favorite Umphrey’s composition, with Booth Love being a close 2nd. To me, Linear is the best mid-80’s Rush song that Rush never wrote. It would’ve fit Rush’s Power Windows album perfectly.
Truth be told, if the 7/3 Linear never happened, the 4/4 version would’ve gotten my vote for HOF '19. I hear ya on the Asbury Park Linear, though. It’s a great one as well.
The Linear is one of my favorite non-Stewage newer songs as well. And it doesn’t hurt that it often spawns great yams.
Not sure you can call a ten-year-old song “newer.”
When you saw them in 1998 you can.
::boom!::
::tips fedora::
Having spent the last few weeks listening to a shitload of '19, my top 5 shows of '19 have changed a bit.
8/15. I have not wavered on this one at all. As I posted a while back, this show’s my spirit animal. And I continue to stand by this statement. In terms of song selection, flow and jamming, it’s damn near perfection to my ears.
7/5. Yep, this one overtakes 7/3, but not by much. This show’s worst offense is being in the shadow of Anaheim. While 7/5 lacks HOF worthy jams like Linear and SS, this is another show with a great example of song selection and flow. Not to mention that both sets are pretty strong.
7/3. This slid from the original #2 spot for me. The SS and Linear are all-timers, no question, and the opening HBB is outstanding as well. Set 2, outside of Ocean Billy, is really more in the standard-great category. This is one of those shows where Set 1 > Set 2.
8/17. This one has really gotten my attention as of late. Not a metallic bad ass show like 8/15 a couple of days prior, but I really love the jamming in this one. The Triangle Tear > 1348 > ITK > Visions > Mail Package opening segment is just out of this world. And the Puppet > Much Obliged > Puppet segment to end the 2nd set is stellar.
2/15. Great, great show for obvious reasons. But where my opinion gets weird is that I don’t even think Plunger’s the best jam of this one. That distinction belongs to Red Tape. Again, just my opinion.
For that 7/3 show whats your thoughts on the Resolution? I was at that show and I always like to revisit that jam.
The Reso isn’t bad at all but it didn’t jump out at me
Jah bless, Pook. Right there with you on this one. Admitted attendance bias but so many thoughts and feels wrapped up in this show.
Had to listen back to that 7/5 show after seeing such high praise from you.
Definitely an under the radar 2019 show. I still probably wouldn’t put it in my top 10 but it’s still a real nice show. There are some punchy, aggressive jams in Junk, IDM, Phil’s and especially Utopian Fir, which is a shorter but better version than almost any other 2019 Fir.
Obv this Virtue us soon smooth though. Great patient jam winding through chilled out dance grooves.
8/15’s plunger is so awesome. I love the second theme in that jam.