It was a bit like the movie Face Off, moe. style: Al played like Chuck (night one), in long lovely Garcia-esque licks, and Chuck played like Al (night two), screaming conquering rock guitar assaults that Mr. Jimmy Paige (and any Big 12 Smashmouth Football fan) might have liked, while night three was something else entirely; and the band stayed the heck away from their overplayed ditties (Rebubula, Timmy Tucker, and Brent Black, to name three), and instead, painted a three-night-Triptych that was smart, fresh and cohesive.

Just when we at FRNR had finished anointing Chuck Garvey the Jerry Garcia of his rock generation, Al Schnier shows his brilliance w a lyrical lilt that was, well, mind-stopping. Hey, we're pleased to incinerate our conceptual boxes any time, if the music is going to be this good.

You can't really blame the small venues for overselling, but it kinda schtinks when they do that. To cut a little slack, both The Fox and The Gothic became breathable during second set. Fillmore at 95% full: in the Total Quality Experience universe that is perfecto.

Widespread Panic fans - in abundance in Denvertown - were unequivocal in anointing The Gothic show as tops. That night (#2) was not celestial moe. It was down & dirty, earthy moe.. 32 Things was a giddy-up cowboy romp. Meat was bone in, Chop House variety. Big World displayed its luscious noir harmonics. On this night, moe. knew its audience and played to them perfectly.

Second set Boulder Fox show (first night) was friendly moe.. Relaxed, tickle-the-space sound a la Recreational Chemistry, with hearth-smile Blue Jeans & Pizza in between. Finishing the first set avec Kyle's Song into The Road was patient and strong - the evening's tour de force.

I don't dislike the Denver Fillmore venue, it's just I'm not a fan of these long characterless dancefloor spaces that hold 4,000 people. It's something the band has to overcome. Night #3 at the Fillmore it was a non issue.

It was celestial moe. Celestial moe. with scorpio bite. McBain (2nd set) was a sublime and orchestral masterpiece, with an excellent Buster>Yodelittle lead in.

Great to see The Creative at work with this band. They keep growing. Evolving the music in thoughtful ways. So many details far from perfect, like half of Faulkner's work. Which diminishes nothing. The moe. Colorado Triptych: a tour de force.

-- boulder (they're talking about Zoroastrianism at next table over, you dig?) butler