11-Aug 1984
Oscar Meyer Theatre, Madison, Wi
 
Heavy Duty Judy, 
Tinseltown Rebellion, 
Trouble Every Day, 
Penguin In Bondage, 
Hot Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel, 
Advance Romance, Cocaine Decisions, 
Nig Biz, Outside Now, Be In My Video, 
Montana, 
Easy Meat (incl. Variations On Sinister #3), 
Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy, 
Carol You Fool, 
Chana In De Bushwop, 
Let's Move To Cleveland, 
Dinah Moe Humm, 
Dancin' Fool, 
Sharleena, 
Illinois Enema Bandit 

August 11th, 1984
This show rocks! From the moment Frank plays his first note- carefully 
forging his way out of "Heavy Duty Judy"- until he rips off his final 
lick some 2 hours later, the music performed on this hot August night 
does nothing less than inspire. Yes, this is an '84 show we are talking 
about, and yes, we do have some '84 set list issues to deal with, but 
thanks to some top-notch Zappa soloing, and some downright funny Secret 
Word usage, this concert finds itself in the "must hear" pile of Frank
performances. 

Frank's guitar playing is the highlight of the show, no doubt. Many of 
Frank's best solos over the years have a "storyteller" quality about them. 
From their first note, they pull you into the action and engage you. Like 
the proverbial storyteller, these solos keep you at the edge of your seat, 
your attention fixed on every note, anticipating the action to come. As 
the solo evolves, so does the story, with your imagination scrambling to 
uncover the fantastic tale Frank is undoubtedly weaving. Frank's solos on 
this hot August night have that quality. Patient, deliberate, almost cautious, 
Frank takes his time crafting these solos. Forgetting the standard bag of
lightning-fast riffs he employs so often on this tour, Frank seems to be
rediscovering the joy of "instantaneous compositions", and almost each 
solo is imbued with this passion. 

"Heavy Duty Judy" is, for me, the surprise of the show. Melodramatic in a 
way unusual for this song, this first solo of the night engages the listener
immediately, drawing him into some tangled tale of lies and deceit (or joy 
and celebration, take your pick). 

Not going more than two songs without soloing, Frank plays each solo as if it 
were a natural continuation of the previous, with the beginning of each solo 
beckoning the listener to return with Frank to his tale. "More Trouble", "Hot 
Plate", and "Outside Now" are better than normal, but it is not until "Easy Meat"
that Frank matches the intensity with which he began. Here, Frank delivers the 
classic "Variations on Sinister 3" solo (from "Guitar"), and interestingly enough,
the song takes on a whole new meaning in the context of the larger show (though the
segue back into "Easy Meat" was jarring- what, no "Orrin Hatch"?). Even the 
"Carolina Hard-core Ecstasy" solo is excellent, with Frank patiently delivering 
his message over the course of this surprisingly long outing. 

It is the "Let's Move to Cleveland" solo, though, which finds Frank (and the
hitherto unmentioned but damn-is-he-on-tonight Scott Thunes) at his best. 
Laying a twisted "My Sharona" riff as groundwork, Thunes inspires Frank to 
continue pushing the envelope. Finally reaching into his standard bag of tricks,
Frank balances the deliberate with the frenzied- the calm with the chaotic- and
plays a solo that slowly escalates into a controlled yet satisfying climax. 

The Secret Words of the night are plentiful, keeping things funny and fresh 
during those occasional moments when Frank is not soloing. Prince, Purple Rain 
("Easy Meat" becomes "Purple Rain"), farmers, cheese ("I asked her if she had 
any cheese in there"), Norwegians, and others are all used as themes for various
points in the show, and the results are frequently laugh-out loud funny. This 
humor coupled with Frank's outstanding guitar playing makes for one unbeatable 
(even for '84) show. 

--JG