06/26/07 Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA

Billed as TractorBeam

Set I: Abraxas -> Confrontation -> Run Like Hell -> Songs of Joy -> Digital Buddha -> Mr. Don*

Set II: Confrontation -> Digital Buddha -> Run Like Hell, Mindless Dribble -> Lunar Pursuit -> The Great Abyss



* With 1999 and Norwegian Wood jams.

To celebrate the 2008 Jammys nomination for eMusic Download of the Year, we are very excited to release the performance of Tractorbeam from the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on June 26, 2007. Tractorbeam was conceived as a different concert experience...something more akin to a DJ club set. Tractorbeam plays completely instrumental. The big highlight of the night was a mammoth rendition of Mr. Don. This wasn't any ordinary version of Mr. Don, but rather one that went back in time. On May 7, 1998, The Biscuits played the Chameleon Club for the first time. They debuted two cover songs that night: The Beatles' Norwegian Wood and Prince's 1999. Also that night they played a version of Mr. Don that many fans still consider a benchmark jam that defined a very creative time period for the band. Coming back 9 years later, these songs resurfaced as spontaneous jams in the extended intro of yet another epic Mr. Don. Also of note, Mindless Dribble has a phenomenally psychedelic intro, reminiscent of classic versions of the song. We are pleased to share this live experience with you and hope you enjoy it. Don't forget to vote for the 2008 Jammys at http://www.jammys.com







For more Disco Biscuits Live downloads, go to: http://www.livedownloads.com/bisco

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Reviewer: CEK - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 28, 2012

Subject: You praise their vocals and ask if they've heard Kamaole Sands? Yikes.



I guess technically the vocals in that song are in the minority. ie: no matter how rough their voices are on a given night, it still manages to stay within their limited range.



but if you're really listening to Kamaole Sands, you're listening to some of the worst lyrics ever written by a human being.



This is a great show, and like all Tractorbeam shows the lack of vocals gives it a massive bump by itself. The T-Beam shows are some of the most scripted things the Biscuits have done in recent years and I think people think that they're more heavily improvised just because there isn't singing. This doesn't have any more improv per capita than any random night on Bisco Tour. The Don is the only song that's longer than average here, and they didn't really skip any segments of the compositions- just played them without words.



The specialness is that they aren't blowing peoples high by beginning to shout about 42 forty two times in a row right as the music hits its crescendo. It's a shame that they haven't had the humility to try doing Tractorbeam sets during their prime-time slots at Camp.

There are more people seeing them for the first time at Camp than the rest of the year combined (And for some reason my fellow old school heads resent this. poo on them. kids eating acid at Camp instead of Budweiser at Nickleback? Uh? FTW!!) - They've been so desperate about trying to streamline their sound, turning every jam into a thematic hint at another song, avoiding changing keys and tempos whenever possible. All in an effort to keep from falling on their face. Everyone can smell you when you're bullshitting though. And flubbed transitions in some hyper creative setlist like Overture into Inverted Mirrors into Unfinished B&C into Magellan middle only into Inverted Tamarin into Shimmy middle only into Overture would be overwhelmed in the sheer psychedelic mass of the set looming over the grounds. "Playing It Safe" is the same in sports as it is in music. You're not playing to win, you're playing not to lose, and when you do that, you're always going to lose.





The Abraxas and Songs of Joy are the clearcut highlights of the show. Mr. Don? Great version for sure, but you can boil that entire 30 minute Don into 5 minutes of excellence and it still wouldn't scratch the jaw-dropping way that they modulate out of Songs Of Joy and into a jam.



This show proves one thing: Dragons do NOT eat onions. - November 28, 2012You praise their vocals and ask if they've heard Kamaole Sands?

Reviewer: mdeloia - favorite favorite favorite favorite - September 28, 2009

Subject: Mr. Don Jams 08:23 "Fanfare for the Common Man" Jam (A. Copeland)

12:36 "Norwegian Wood" Jam (Lennon, McCartney)

15:50 "1999" Jam (Prince) - September 28, 2009Mr. Don Jams

Reviewer: biscuitsofcourse - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - January 6, 2009

Subject: abraxas. period. the finest ive ever heard them play abraxas. at the guy whos down on their vocals, have you seen i-man live? kamaole sands? i dont really understand where youre coming from here, maybe well call it a difference of perspective. biscuitsofcourse -- January 6, 2009abraxas. period.

Reviewer: jtaylor23 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - November 17, 2008

Subject: Wish I Was There There are very few shows that will make me say 'Wish I was there'. I attend enough shows to disable that as a kneejerk reaction to even the best recordings. My Gawd! I WISH I HAD BEEN THERE! Phenomenal night.



JT - November 17, 2008Wish I Was There

Reviewer: not just some of the time - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - June 16, 2008

Subject: No vocals worked out great.



Just a suggestion for Bisco, if for some strange reason a band member reads this: You guys should try your vocals through a vocoder, that'd be tits. Honestly, i have never really been a fan of biscos vocals. For some songs, vocals work, for others they dont, i.e . Aquatic Ape. This show was a great idea, making, for what i assume, a straight up, high octane, rave. One of my favorite bisco shows to listen to so far.Just a suggestion for Bisco, if for some strange reason a band member reads this: You guys should try your vocals through a vocoder, that'd be tits. - June 16, 2008No vocals worked out great.

Reviewer: Umphatic - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 30, 2008

Subject: sweetness i finally downloaded this show. the reviews were right...mr. don is incredible. sound is awesome. get this show!! - May 30, 2008sweetness

Reviewer: SysyphusX - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - May 10, 2008

Subject: TractorBeam @ Lancaster, PA What an awesome show and honestly a really nice set. The first set was awesome and Mr. Don really was the way to end it off. That Mike Tyson's Punchout Theme thing was really cool sounding and I wish they'd noodle around like that more often and it went right into another amazing set. Also the highlight of the night to me was the excellent version of Lunar Pursuit. Overall this has got to be one of my favorite shows and honestly the no vox thing worked out really well. I'm sure it'd be sick if they sang too though, so don't get me wrong on that one. - May 10, 2008TractorBeam @ Lancaster, PA

Reviewer: stasisx23 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 20, 2008

Subject: omg k guys MR . Don is rediculous INSANE 35 min of wonderfulness i love when it goes bakc into the run like hell and then the sick jam they do after that DOWNLOAD THIS AND VOTE FOR TE BISCUITS IN TE JAMMYS

HAPPY 4:20 - April 20, 2008omg

Reviewer: Wiernuts - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 15, 2008

Subject: Daaamn. If you don't have it, get it. - April 15, 2008Daaamn.

Reviewer: tragnast - favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 15, 2008

Subject: Great sound, cool show concept. So tractorbeam is a great idea, straight bisco no vox. And for the most part it works really well. They focus on jamming real techno style. I thought most of the jams were solid and creative. Still its not like the best bisco jams ever as these reviews would have ya think. I guess people are really digging the instrumental aspect, and I am all down with that. This would convert alot of people who are otherwise turned off by their singing. Right on. - April 15, 2008Great sound, cool show concept.

Reviewer: biscodiskets - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 13, 2008

Subject: Lights Out Biscuits should play more shows in this total free style format. Anyone pick up on the Punchout Jam to start the second set? Amazing because I have been playing that old Nintendo Game. This one is a sizzln mindblinder, enjoy. - April 13, 2008Lights Out

Reviewer: delraychris - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 12, 2008

Subject: fanfare for the common man in mr.don too!! surprise no one has brought up the sick "fanfare for the common man" jam into the intro of mr. don. the version they are playing is emerson, lake and palmer for sure. i love the 1999 and norweigin wood jams, but the fanfare is better!



anyone feel me on this? - April 12, 2008fanfare for the common man in mr.don too!!

Reviewer: jstricks - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 11, 2008

Subject: FuhShoFUhSHO This is a band that plays so well together sometimes. The sounds build on each other smooth, groovy, and funky. The Don is a perfect example of that. What a great show. - April 11, 2008FuhShoFUhSHO

Reviewer: tophunky - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 11, 2008

Subject: Great Release! Thanks for this recording. If you still aren't sure whether to get it or not. Two words... Mr. Don. - April 11, 2008Great Release!

Reviewer: Makisupa McGee - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 11, 2008

Subject: reviewing this show is soooo... April 9th - April 11, 2008reviewing this show is soooo...

Reviewer: MarcoEsquandolas - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 10, 2008

Subject: whomp whomp deedle doo dance party!!



Great move by tDB releasing this crunchy board - April 10, 2008whomp whomp deedle doo

Reviewer: cavemandan - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 10, 2008

Subject: was at all chameleon shows yeah i rememeber when the biscuits couldn't get into the chameleon club in 98.... but being co owner of a local small bar who featured the biscuits i was able to coax the owner into giving them a try... when i told the biscuits manager at the time he said no...we tried gettin in there... i said try again i talked to Rich (the owner of the chameleon at the time)...sure enough...they were in... and these tractor beam shows were off the hook 9 years later... the only difference is now i gotta pay the bucks to get into the show, get searched by a muscle head, have my cigs inspected for drugs and have to go back to the car to get my id since i must really look under 21..... the chameleon has just renovated and did an expansion... hope tractor beam comes back to the bigger newer chameleon, except i doubt anything will rival the memory of chilling with phish when they played there in 1990 to a few handful of people.... ah the times are a changing... the august show i think temps reached a zillion degrees in that club or something because it took like 3 days to rehydrate.... personally i prefer any instrumental band to any band who tries to sing about nonsense, romance or politics... to me the vocals of all bands ussually takes away from the music so tractor beam combines my fav with my fav way to present it... i wasn't aware of the no taping policy at biscuits shows... never was much of a taper myself.... i had always assumed that the cool jam bands allowed it since it was the best way to market and spread the music, however i guess different record labels put different restrictions on different bands and situations... and I do know for a fact at one time taping was very welcomed at a biscuits show...either way...thanks for this music that is currently playing pretty loud at work ...hehehehe - April 10, 2008was at all chameleon shows

Reviewer: yates - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 10, 2008

Subject: download of the year they need to put more then five stars on this motherfucker becouse this show is off the hook. Just another reason reason to love tDB. - April 10, 2008download of the year

Reviewer: spenghali - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 9, 2008

Subject: Tractor-steez 5 star show without a doubt, incredible sound quality, A+++ playing from the band, and, oh yeah.......THE DON!



make sure your wearing a helmet for this one people...... - April 9, 2008Tractor-steez

Reviewer: buddyboy33 - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 9, 2008

Subject: 2.0 has done it Finally, a 2.0 show that is right on the money. This kicks serious ass. Thank the gods of Mt. Olympus, as well as the Disco Biscuits for releasing this. I would also like to thank Liza Minelli, as well as Gerard Garlic for always being there for me in times of trouble. - April 9, 20082.0 has done it

Reviewer: fungiside - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 9, 2008

Subject: best 2.0 show to date this is it. if you want to know what the biscuits can sound like with Allen on a great day, get this show. Its a soundboard. Its great. Thanks to the powers that be who released it. - April 9, 2008best 2.0 show to date

Reviewer: offdafront - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 9, 2008

Subject: A Monster!!! This show is going to blow the bandwidth out of the archive. better give this show its own server!! - April 9, 2008A Monster!!!

Reviewer: moe.DeadStringPhishplease - favorite favorite favorite favorite favorite - April 9, 2008

Subject: This is great Wow, look at what we've got here. A concious effort by the band to allow fans to get another Free taste of SBD tunes. Is there a scene/genere that is more connected with its fans than ours? I do not think so. Thank you to The Disco Biscuits, tapers, and those associated with the band. Bisco is on the rise as they have been for a while now. Thanks again and definately vote for Wind at Four to Fly, that album is what got me as deep into this band as I am now. - April 9, 2008This is great