Thursday, August 23, 2007

Sonic Youth playing Daydream Nation at the Glasgow ABC

I have written about my love of Sonic Youth and Daydream Nation many times. I first heard silver rocket on a compilation tape given to me in my first year at secondary school (1989-90). I then borrowed a cassette copy of daydream nation from the East Kilbride public library. I copied it and listened to it on my personal stereo religiously. In the past 17 years I believe that I have listened to daydream nation more than 1000 times. I own many other Sonic Youth records and I saw them once before, on their Washing Machine tour, at the Glasgow Barrowlands in the mid-late '90s.

Sonic Youth are great.

My job is a bit shit. It interferes with my life in many ways. I work long antisocial hours and I can be forced to move around the country at short notice. When I saw this show was happening I just bought tickets and thought 'fuck work' I will be miserable of I don't see this. I was initially meant to be on a week of nights this week but I swopped my entire rota to see this gig. I'm glad I did.

The sound was great. The energy level of the no-longer youthful youth was brilliant as they flung their guitars around the stage and had mock swordfights during teenage riot. Noise jams were tastefully inserted into most songs. This was not a dry reading of the record. This performance was alive.

Highlights included silver rocket, erics trip, hey joni, total trash, hyperstation, rain king, the sprawl and every other song they played. A second short set of the best of recent SY albums with Mark Ibold of Pavement on bass was great too. Do you believe in rapture?, incinerate and rather ripped all evoke the old sonic youth fire.

This was a brilliant night. Words fail me when I try to tell you how good this show was. See sonic youth play daydream nation if you can. I want to see them play sister and dirty now.

love

drphunl

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