The Queen Is Dead

Well, here we are, more than a third of the way through the month, a bunch of shows already behind us, I guess I really need to just hit send on this blatherfest already. Quick August recap. Animal Collective at Crystal. Damn, I forget how much I like them. Their kooky blend of psych, weirdo folk and pop, all infused with that hippy collective energy, somehow it just works. Then the Dundee Lodge Campout. First off, I wanna just say what a rad thing this is, to get that many artists together in that gorgeous backwoods spot is impressive. The vibe of the whole weekend was incredibly positive and charming. Second, the music was great. Like, nary a dud through the two days. Expected highlights Wolf Eyes, Space Lady, Sir Richard Bishop, and Avola were all some version of excellent. Surprise gems (for me, at least) were Cexfucx, Million Brazilians, and Jef Brown. And especially Pure Shit. Yeah, I kinda think it’s a dumb name, but they were fucking great. I didn’t know anything about them going in; great drummer, not showy, but just perfectly off kilter while also holding the whole thing together. And bass, sax and some faint vocals (and sometimes two saxes!). Inspired, check em out. https://pureshitinfo.bandcamp.com Well, really check out all of these bands if you can find them. As much as I love turning the lights down, putting headphones on and disappearing into some deep listening, there’s something about the communal experience that, when it goes right, is really amazing. Let’s all go next year. So good. A bunch of us saw Warpaint at Rev Hall. I admittedly was on the fence about going, I like them well enough, but I found them to be way better than I’d remembered, they were super good. And Shellac last week. Three aging dudes who just do it for fun at this point, with a schtick and an increasingly mellow setlist. Still good, but it might be the last time I go see them. Okay, we already missed some early September shows that might’ve been good (like Death Valley Girls, or Dolphin Midwives with Crystal Quartez, or Feed Fatigue last night), if anybody here wants to fill in the first half of the month for me, feel free! Like, I know some of you went to Bikini Kill! Okay, September, or what’s left of it... Kim Gordon, Mon & Tues 9/12 & 13, Mississippi Studios. Wow. A living legend, one of my heroes, at li'l ol' Mississippi Studios. I have a ticket for the Tuesday show (oh crap, that’s already tomorrow!). And Sea Moss opens! C’mon, too perfect. I presume she’ll be playing No Home Record material, but it doesn’t really matter, it’s Kim friggin’ Gordon. Gaythiest and The Mistons, Fri 9/16, Mississippi Studios. Gaythiest is always a good time and I still haven’t seen The Mistons. Tinariwen, Sat 9/17, Mississippi Studios. The grandfathers of the current wave of Taureg bands making inroads in Western circles, these dudes are incredibly good. I'd be there except I'll be spending the evening with a gorgeous woman who said okay to marrying me five years ago. Five years already?!? Sheesh. Time, yo. Of Montreal, Sat 9/17, Wonder Ballroom. I think I like them but haven’t heard enough to know for sure. I know some among us are big fans. Who wants my Boris ticket? Rev Hall, Saturday the 17th. Yeah, I bought this ticket late at night, a few drinks in, without looking at the date. As mentioned above, busy. https://youtu.be/M4prdI0-0Fo Hit me up if you want it. No $, just buy me a drink next time I see ya.

Russian Circles, Wed 9/21, Revolution Hall. Saw them a few years ago at Wonder, went in only lightly familiar, came out a fan. Solid instrumetal (happy belated bday, Mike!). Lions of the Interstate, Fri 9/23, Turn! Turn! Turn!. Opening for Charts actually, who I will confess I’ve not heard real good things about, but Lions includes a friend of this thread an all around lovely human so let’s go, okay? Stereolab, Fri 9/23, Roseland Theater. Ironically, been having a little Stereolab renaissance lately. Those early records, at least through 1997’s Dots and Loops (and probably all the way to 2001’s Sound Dust, the last one with Mary Hansen before she died), are extraordinary. There just wasn’t anybody else that sounded like them. Krauty, loungy, artsy, with wonderfully Marxist tinted lyrics, they were great. Somehow, I never saw them live. Do I go even though their best was 20+ years ago? I'll probably pass but open to any of you good people trying to persuade me otherwise. William Basinski, Fri 9/30, Holocene. I don’t know most of his work, but his Disintigration Loops tapes from 2001 are a masterpiece of noise/sound collage stuff. Methods Body, who we saw at Dundee Lodge, and who were real good- but maybe a little too busy and musical for me- open. OM, Sat 10/1, Aladdin Theater. I don’t think they have any recent stuff, but 2007’s Pilgrimage was a big hit in my house at the time. Still love it too. Was someone telling me about Psychadelic Porn Crumpets? Should I buy Melt Banana tix? Anyone else? Moon Duo’s got some kind of record reveal or release in late October at Polaris Hall, I’ve got two tickets for that, they’re great. If you like them (or Wooden Shjips or Rose CIty Band or Vive la Void) you should get tix too! Okay, this is getting cut a little short cuz I just gotta be done with this... even though I want to talk about what seems to be the reemergence of the saxophone. There were hella saxes at Dundee Lodge. We saw JRGC last winter and they had two saxes! Is this some sort of natural pendulum shift away from every single band seemingly being all electronic or synth-based lately? Sure, the amazing Alex Zhang Hungtai’s been highlighting saxophone with incredible results for a dozen years, but he seemed the exception. I’m happy to report that, while I get the whole saxophones are a totally 80’s pop thing, for me they’re still first and foremost the wailing saxes on early Lydia Lunch records (usually played by either Jim Sclavanous or Pat Irwin) or some screaming John Zorn stuff like Painkiller (or more recently AZH), it sounds right to me to hear it brought back in that noisy, arty way, and I’m totally here for it.

It really sucks that Morrissey's proven to be such a garbage human because nowadays I feel funny when I remember how much I still love The Smiths. So yeah, really gonna stop now. I know someone was telling me about some show that sounded rad the other night and I already can’t remember what it was and in the name of ohmygod just finish this already I haven’t revisited all the listings so let me know what you know. Cuz, as always always, additions, corrections, and/or subtractions welcomed. DW

https://youtu.be/-yGdiXCwTVk