I spent the days between Phoenix at Chula Vista at Joshua Tree National Park girding myself for the final four shows and generally getting recharged. SET 1: The Moma Dance: Solid start, can’t go wrong with this tune opening a show. >

It's Ice: The jam is very spacey, dark, and intense. Given the right circumstances, this could put you on the moon. Check it out… >

Bouncing Around the Room > Funky Bitch: Standard.

Reba: This version is actually pretty good. What’s interesting though, as Trey is shredding away – listen to Page. He sounds half asleep at the switch. Very telling. This one doesn’t have a true traditional Reba peak.

Dog Faced Boy: Standard.

Run Like an Antelope: Again, listen to Page in the intro. Just barely there, sleepwalking. When it’s all said and done though, this Antelope does smoke. “Been you to have any spliff, man?”

First set summary: Not much here to sink your teeth into. It’s a shame because I thought they would come out guns blazing after having two days off, but it was not to be. Reba and Antelope are good but nothing I would revisit even though I attended. Very, very short set – 59:30. Pretty weak, I mean they just had two days off for crying out loud and they have four shows left? I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall with the band pre-show and at setbreak to see what all was going down.

SET 2: Rock and Roll: Straight ahead rager, good out of the gates, everybody is on their feet and dancing >

Also Sprach Zarathustra: Nice groove fest, I really enjoyed this – nice and lengthy >

Sample in a Jar: Why?

Gotta Jibboo: Very solid jam. Never gets outside of its structure but in fine all the same.

Bug: I know many likely were not digging this placement, but I was not one of them. I am a fan of this tune, always have been and always will be. This one truly rips, and Trey gives it what for. This version has extra juice. >

Harry Hood: Trey gives this a good going over but seems to suffer a bit from too many ideas. Felt like he should have stuck with one and stomped on that gas pedal. Still a good version. >

Cavern: Standard

ENCORE: Loving Cup: Standard

Second set summary: Another short set clocking in at 65 minutes with a 7:42 encore. Page did wake up for this set, by the way. Outside of Sample, this is not a bad set. But it is no better than average either. The only thing that I would revisit would be Bug. With just two songs that have replay value for me, I would rate this as a 3.0 out of 5. This is one of the weaker 1.0 shows that I saw. On to Irvine…