Live Trax Vol. 4

This is the ultimate Crash show. It's filled with great performances, but what makes it particularly memorable for me is all the improv/talk that captures where the band was at that moment in time. The Richmond Jam, Dave's comments throughout the set, even the particular telling of the Little Thing story and the retuning during it... it all brings me back to where the band was in 1996. The highlights for me are CRY FREEDOM, DRIVE, TYPICAL, and LITTLE THING. Stefan in LITTLE THING is off the hook. I find it fascinating how they recorded TWO STEP as they did on Crash, such a joyous song, and then opened the Crash tour with the first truly brooding performance of the song. The TOO MUCH improv lyric... so funny that Dave himself can't help but laugh at it. It sounded like he almost choked. Dave mirrors the Crash openings for SO MUCH and TRIPPING. I can't recall another instance of him having done that for any song, ever. You have to wonder if he was worried that newcomers to the rapidly-expanding fanbase would want to hear the songs note for note. I've always found it weird they played every song on the album except LET YOU DOWN. It would have fit in perfectly. Too bad.