One of the things I’ve always understood about Sonic Youth is that their music is best heard live. You just can’t capture that raw energy on record. The long, usually improvised solos, the small intricacies between band mates, the overall stage presence – the very essence of what can make a live performance amazing. I was looking forward to picking up on that. As I opened the double doors to the main floor of the Knitting Factory, my ears were drowned in screeching distortion and the repeated crashing cymbals of the opening band, Awesome Color. The sound was more noise than music and the crowd was less than enthusiastic. My companion and I made our way up to the balcony, where we would perch between the soundboard and photogs for the remainder of the show.
I was unaware of how deep the impact SY have had on pop culture. While the crew broke down Awesome Color’s set and readied it for the headliners I was introduced to Jess Walters and Sam Ligon, two nationally award-winning authors and both avid SY fans. They recently contributed short stories of fiction based on songs by SY for Noise – Fiction Inspired by Sonic Youth, by Peter Wild. Besides the t-shirts, patches, bumper stickers and limited release b-sides, we now have SY in the form of literature. The expectations were really starting to build.
There was no introduction; the lights didn’t dim any more than they already were. Out walked five band mates, picked up their instruments, looked at each other, and blasted into “No Way.” I hadn’t seen a mosh pit in years, but when the opening chords started, the floor erupted into a hundred or so twenty-somethings pogoing in sync with the pulse of the song.
It’s hard not to watch Thurston Moore play. His constant dragging of his left leg while he plowed through “Sacred Trickster” and “Calming the Snake” was less a distraction, more of part of his presence. The sound was tight, not one band member making any obvious hiccups. For the next hour they played every song off of their newest release, The Eternal, save for “Thunderclap for Bobby Pyn.”
The highlight of the night was “Anti-Orgasm.” One of the longer songs on the new album, it took on a completely different life when played live. There was an extreme amount of eardrum piercing guitar squeal, and was by far the most intense song played. Starting off quick, then dying down into perfectly spaced crunches and moans by Kim Gordon, only to give way to a steady stream of high pitched distortion and pounding drums. This had every element of what made SY so good live, going well over 10 minutes. As it slowed down for the ending, you could see all members using it as time to catch their breath. The crowd seemed truly in awe and was appreciative. SY wasted no time, however, rolling right into “Poison Arrow.”
They performed a few numbers out of their extensive discography, including an extended version of “Catholic Block” and “Silver Rocket” which ended the set. The encore saw the band return and take up their positions again, however Moore on an acoustic guitar for “Shadow of a Doubt” and “Schizophrenia”, blended together with a smooth transition. They finished the night with “What We Know” and a slowed down, drawn out “Expressway to Yr. Skull.”
All being said, I was not only educated in the ways of SY, but reminded of, when executed correctly, how good a live performance can be. There were no complaints to be had- they came, they played hard, they made my ears hurt. In a very good way.
by Josh Vietti
[Photo: Michael Schmelling]
