Sonic Youth are
Thurston Moore-guits and sings good
Lee Ranaldo-guits and sings good
Steve Shelley-drums
Kim Gordon-bass and sing-puking
Jim O'Rourke (was in the band doing god knows what at the time)
I've seen Sonic Youth five times, the first of which was in like 2004 or something. I was a little late to the party with this band; I think they were all over fifty by then. Not that their extreme age was a bad thing, it just made them that much more impressive. Let me explain. Now I love my dad, he's a great guy, but I remember looking at him after I saw Thurston jump off a ten foot PA and scream directly into my face. I thought, “Jesus, what the hell happened to you?” I guess Mr. Moore just has that rock god 'je ne sais quois'. He had saggy cheeks but he could still headbang. I was twenty yrs old. My neck was sore for a week.
So it’s been about six years and I’ve been having a lot of fun since then so let’s see what I can remember…
I see a long line on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit. Everyone was Caucasian in the line. Everyone not in the line was not. I felt weird in the line. The venue was the Majestic Theatre right by the Magic Stick and Rock and Bowl. I also worked nearby. I got there pretty early because I freaking loved Sonic Youth and wanted to be as close to them as possible. As my friend Chris and I waited we saw a many things. There was a guy who was completely obsessed with Uncle Tupelo and the Old 97’s. He was boring. The best part of the line were the street people that surrounded us. They were pretty charming until… out of nowhere some maniacal crazy man tackled this tiny homeless guy with a backpack to the sidewalk right next to me! He seriously fucking slammed the guy. Why? “Holy shit,” I thought, paralyzed with dumbness. Suddenly the man who did the tackling arose and addressed all of us on the sidewalk. “Don’t be giving him any money. He don’t need no money. I said seriously, don’t give that motherfucker any change.” Next thing you know the guy with the backpack is up and he’s understandably quite upset. “Why’d you tackle me? What’s your problem?” More words ensue and suddenly the gentle backpack man produces an industrial style box cutter from what I can only assume were his nether regions. It was the kind with the plastic hilt and the freaking six-inch blade that cuts skin really well. I think it was green. Unsheathed, the tool glistens in the sunset. Then, engines roaring, they were off, scampering down the street into my memory forever. I will never forget you, weird guys.
Moving on… I was front row on stage right directly in front of Lee who kept screaming that he was deaf for most of the show. They opened with 100% which climaxed with one of the most aggressive gravity reversing mind melting explosions of energy I have ever witnessed. Lights blazing, Thurston was fucking his amp with his Mustang. That shit was visceral. They also played Pacific Coast Highway which was so good that it made me cry. It was a fun show. People were dancing and the young’uns were thrashing about which always makes me smile. No Murray Street tunes though, I remember being a little let down by that and four concerts and six years later, still no Murray Street songs. What the hell is up with that? The show ended with a cacophonous super jam between Sonic Youth, Wolf Eyes, and Hair Police. I think there were twelve performers onstage and a gigantic white sheet with a skull painted on it, the words ‘Gnarly Times’ etched in black paint below. I remember that slogan having an impression on me, it was the perfect caption. It just made sense. It was cool. I wanted in on it.
Stopped at the McDonalds on Woodward and like 7 Mile(?) on the way home. Work in the morning. Ears ringing.
Go here for an unbelievable amount of free psychedelic punk,
http://www.freewebs.com/sonikyouth/rarities.htm
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