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Sonic Youth @ Gallivan Plaza 7/30/09
| This was the show that I had most been looking forward to this summer. I almost couldn't believe it when I first read that Sonic Youth was scheduled to play the free Twilight Concert Series at Gallivan Plaza. The lineup for these shows is often solid but rarely impressive. However, this year's lineup was a significant upgrade with acts such as The Black Keys, Toots and The Maytals, Iron and Wine, and my beloved Sonic Youth. I quickly circled my calender. Sonic Youth is without question one of my all-time favorite bands. "Genius" is always the first word to come to mind when thinking of Sonic Youth. This is a band who started out over 25 years ago doing their own unique thing by combining barely melodic songs, guitar sounds that fluctuate between dreamy/spacey and rattling buzz saw, and proudly untrained vocals provided courtesy of Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore. Here we are all these years later and Sonic Youth still contains it's original lineup, has yet to have a lapse in album output, and is still cranking out some of the best music of their careers. They truly are an amazing band with a unique and powerful influence that has remained relevant and important for almost three decades now. I had seen them several years ago at In The Venue when they were touring in promotion of their "Sonic Nurse" album. I was very excited by the fact that I would get to see them once again, and this time the venue would be outdoors which I felt may very well be the better situation in which to take in the aural blitzkrieg that is the Sonic Youth sound. This would also prove to be an easy show to sell to Tee. So often she is disinterested or only moderately interested in seeing many of the concerts that I like to attend. This show was definitely not one of those and I really looked forward to having us attend together. Turned out my brother Brian was in town this night as well. We initially thought he might join us but at the last minute he decided it wasn't going to be worth it to him to drive up from where he was staying in Provo. Too bad bro! You missed out! :-) Due to my experience at the Black Keys concert a couple weeks prior, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect per the beer and food selection, layout of the venue, and general logistics. We delayed our arrival to the venue being that we were completely disinterested in seeing the warm up band or fighting the crowds unnecessarily. We instead started out sipping on a tankard of cheap beer at Bar X just up the road from the Gallivan Plaza. In due time we walked to the Plaza and went straight for some pizza from The Pie's food stall and a couple of beers at the Uinta tent. Our timing was perfect. Just as we finished up our pizza, refreshed our beer, and occupied a comfortable and strategic spot near the left side of the stage the band was being introduced. |
| The amplifiers began to buzz and goosebumps shot up on my arms. I was convinced they would open with "Sacred Trickster," the opening cut from their newest album "The Eternal," but was pleasantly surprised when they started off the show with "Tom Violence" from the 1986 release "EVOL." They then promptly started in with the newer material. Straightaway the sound was amazing! Tee gave me "that look" several times that said "OMG." We both soon had permanent grins on our faces. I started trying to snap some photos but couldn't quite get the images as focused as I wished. There was a lot of photo-taking going on around us, many using professional style cameras (both still and video). We had the right vantage point, but I still have yet to figure how to manipulate shutter speed properly on my digital Sony. I also was wishing I could get a shot of all the band members in one frame but they stayed so spread out on the generously wide stage that I could never get that shot. I did capture some good video footage, albeit short in duration. Here's a little clip of the band doing "Sacred Twister." |
| We stayed at this spot for 7 or 8 songs, then moved out from the main crowd. Tee needed to use the facilities, but as I had learned at the Black Keys show, rather than line up a dozen people deep at the bank of Port-O-Potties, it was far easier to leave the venue, walk half a block up the street to the Bar X, and have the bathroom to yourself. It also allows you to have a cold, cheap beer while there at less than half the price of those sold at the show. So, this is exactly what we did. It worked out perfectly. We figured that we probably only missed about 3 or 4 songs all told. Well worth the convenient break. When we returned to the venue the band was in just starting to play one of my very favorite cuts from the new album called "Massage The History," a classic Sonic Youth sounding, eerie, dreamy, 10-minute epic. The sound magically swirled around the Plaza as well walked amongst the happy crowed that was clearly enjoying the music and the perfection of the cool summer night weather. As we milled about we ran into our old friend John Vest. Neither of us had seen John in several months. He was there with his new wife and it gave us a chance to congratulate them on the birth of their first child. We chatted with them for a while, then once again decided to penetrate the main crowd at the right hand side of the stage. Again we were fortunate to be able to quite easily slip into a spot that was nearer the stage than we would have supposed we could get. Tee was even able to have a decent view of the band from a standing position! We once again took note as to how easy-going and friendly the crowd was despite the tight quarters. From this position we were again able to take in about a half dozen songs before the show ended. We stood talking and people watching in our same spot, letting our ears ring, and taking in the fullness of the lingering vibe. In time we again sauntered back up to Bar X, took our same seat at the back table, and slowly sipped on one last beer as other happy, satisfied folks from the show filtered in and out. Great show! Great company! Great night! |
(click for video)