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{This article was published in The Georgia Strait, Vancouver, Canada on May 9, 1996 as a review of the Music West conference}
Voices Swell as Live Set Reveals Hidden Anthems
Dayton, Ohio’s ageing alternative heroes show the kids how to rock in one of Music West’s strongest concerts
Guided By Voices
At the Commodore Ballroom
On Thursday, May 2
By Shawn Conner
{Transcribed by Andy Gower "agower@netcom.ca"}
I didn’t feel the earth quake last Thursday night, but I did feel it move.
Taking the Commodore stage around midnight, Dayton, Ohio’s Guided by Voices rocked for two solid hours, performing dozens of songs (I lost count after 30) from their many releases, drinking copious amounts of beer, and proving that while their recorded output may be lo-fi, the songs themselves are rock ‘n’ roll anthems of the highest order.
Not only do these guys – all pushing 40 – know how to rock, they’re funny. Not in the goofy, look-at-me-I’m-wacky manner of the Barenaked Ladies and Moxy Früvous {both Canadian groups}, but as genuine characters; specifically, front man-lead singer Robert Pollard and guitarist Mitch Mitchell are joys to watch.
With his cherubic, curly hair and his all-American looks gone to fleshy seed, Pollard is an unlikely candidate for rock stardom, but that didn’t stop this former schoolteacher from kicking out the jams with joyful "rock kicks" (David Lee Roth has nothing to worry about) and clumsy mike-twirling (likewise Roger Daltrey). Like David Letterman, he continually addressed the audience as "kids", and his hammy onstage patter seemed directly lifted from the 70’s. ("It’s great to be here," he said at one point. "Uh, what city is this?")
Meanwhile Mitchell, who has that rare but valuable – at least in rock ‘n’ roll circles – ability to play guitar and chain-smoke cigarettes simultaneously, provided his own rock moves, leaping into the air to usher in one anthemic chorus after another.
And anthemic they were. As charming as many of their recordings are, most lack power; live, the songs are given dimensions only hinted at on record. Songs like "Big Boring Wedding" and "Lord Of Overstock", both from their latest album, Under The Bushes Under The Stars, chugged along gloriously, while older songs such as "I Am A Scientist", "Postal Blowfish" (resuscitated for the Brain Candy soundtrack {a great Canadian Kids In The Hall film}), and "Matter Eater Lad" (about the DC Comics superhero who can eat anything; sample lyric: "Now he’s eating Ensonia/Yeah, he’s Matter Eater Lad") almost transformed the polite crowd of indie scenesters at the front of the stage into a mosh pit.
The only jarring note of the whole evening was the bass player; GbV’s regular bassist {Greg Demos} is off being a lawyer (his day job), and his replacement from indie-rock band Chavez looked far too young, tall, and thin to be in the band.
The warm-up bands, Spoon and V3, both acquitted themselves well. Spoon with its post-Pixies sound and V3 with a set of lean, angular indie-rock songs. But both bands, allowed to play long sets, simply served to heighten the qualities that make Guided by Voices special – an astonishing and continuous flow of ideas, an uncanny knack for hooks, and a joy in playing live that transcends age and style.
Simply put, GbV renewed my faith in rock ‘n’ roll.
{Addendum – The article features a photo of Bob standing with his eyes closed holding a beer without a microphone in sight. Since I don’t have a scanner I can’t provide it. During the performance Toby’s amp shut down. He fiddled with it for a couple of minutes. He then left the stage for a couple of minutes. He came back with an amp from one of the opening acts, plugged and just started part way through a song. GbV, of course, had continued (I don’t think Bob knew Toby was gone until Matt told him) and by that time Toby has missed at least six songs. Also, Bob only fell once while doing the high kicks.}