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Guided By Voices: Cigs, Booze And Rock '

You gotta say yes to another excess.
10 maart 2001, Headliners Music Hall, Louisville (USA)

Tekst: Pat Wensink

Publicatiedatum: 10 maart 2001

Headliners Music Hall was the site of the final stop for GBV before they went home to rest for a while, before the release of their new album "Isolation Drills".
Opening up the show after quite a delay was Elf Power, an Athens, GA based group. Prior to this show I had never heard of this group, let alone listened to them, so I did not know what to expect. They are a hard group to pinpoint, mixing instruments such as a violin, saxophone, clarinet, keyboards, and even an accordion into the standard two guitars, bass and drums combination. It is a collective of different sounds, textures and styles that range from shoe-gazer to covering the Stooges. As my friend put it, "they have an identity crisis", but that is a benefit; these guys never got old, their catchy songs only became more intriguing as the set progressed.
After closing with "Now I wanna Be Your Dog" Elf Power stepped off stage and let the GBV experience begin. After several minutes of waiting and guitar tuning, a neon sign above the smoky stage illuminated with red and blue letters hailing "The Club is OPEN". Let me tell you that sign did not lie. The club was open and alive as soon as Bob Pollard and company set foot on the stage, cigarettes and beer in hand. The band has evolved from the lo-fi gods to a tight powerful rock 'n' roll machine and, judging by the crowd, that is perfectly fine.
GBV kicked off the show with some new material that is sure to become as classic as the songs of old. Tunes like "Chasing Heather Crazy" and "Glad Girls" fit in perfect and worked the crowd into a frenzy before they broke out their old catalog.
While all of this is happening the band is playing with dead-on precision and enough power to make your ears ring for days. In addition to rocking, the band is smoking, drinking and best of all, smiling during the show. While watching this show one gathers the sense that these guys love what they do; their enthusiasm poured into the crowd only heightening the audience's enjoyment. Pollard's banter kept the crowd entertained between songs and, as is customary, he was high kicking and mic twirling all night long. He did not stop there; Pollard also knows how to do some beer bottle flipping tricks that would make Tom Cruise's Cocktail character go home crying.
Back to the show. The band pounded through GBV standards like Watch Me Jumpstart, Tractor Rape Chain, Teenage FBI, Hot Freaks and A Salty Salute ("The Club is Open") and dozens of others. Pollard's solo work was even included into the act. This group even managed to make soft songs like "Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory" and "Peephole" rock like never before. In addition, they even threw in the Who's "Baba O' Reily."
After nearly causing a riot with "Cut-Out Witch" Pollard wished everyone a good night and walked off. If you are at all familiar with the band you know this is not the end. GBV came out for another two encores and finished off their two hour or more (I didn't have my stopwatch out) show with a sing along version of "Smothered in Hugs" with the members of Elf Power and random fans singing, dancing, and drinking on stage. Five cases of beer, one bottle of whiskey, dozens of cigarettes and equally as many songs later the show is over.
Clearly, GBV is the greatest show on earth, do not pass up an opportunity to see them. You will thank me later.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/live/guided-by-voices/guided-by-voices-cigs-booze-and-rock/326/
Meer Guided by Voices op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/guided-by-voices