Live Review And Photos: Sonic Youth, The Entrance Band at The Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA (07/13/09)

All Photos by Clint Miller

For the month of July Davy is off on the This Piano Plays Itself tour so Ohmpark has decided to enlist myself to keep you updated on what’s happening in the ATL. I was asked to review the Sonic Youth show Monday night at the Variety Playhouse. I was a bit skeptical that I could accomplish this at first due to the fact that I realized their is no way I could cover them properly since I belong to a younger generation of music fans and have not followed them for very long. In fact I am most familiar with their most recent album, The Eternal that was just released this year. I soon realized that this line of thinking was complete nonsense. That’s an elitist viewpoint. Also, who better to report on a band such as Sonic Youth than a complete noob? If they are able to impress me then that will show how incredible they actually are. So this review is for people like me, who aren’t familiar with 28 years of Sonic Youth records and live shows.

After arriving at Clint’s house and discussing the supposed $12 abortions that are available in California we quickly headed to Wendy’s. (BTW, We decided that if that’s true we need a mass exodus to California. That’s cheaper than condoms, pills, or moving to Mexico). After fucking with the Wendy’s girl (talking super slow and acting really surprised they had change for my 20) we headed to the Variety Playhouse in order to get there ten or fifteen minutes before the doors open. This would assure us a bad ass up front spot. To our absolute fucking chagrin there was a line of at least 60 people that went all the way past El Myr. Despite the bullshit of the situation we ended up very front stage right, which Clint informed me would be Lee Ranaldo’s side. As we waited we ended up talking to several die-hard fans. It turned out one kid has the same Radiohead tattoo as me and we had met before. I noticed some kids next to us bitching about how the set list would be comprised of mainly newer songs. I noticed them later rocking out harder than anyone to the very songs they were bitching about.

The Entrance Band opened up and despite their name they were actually pretty good. Their female bassist was the highlight for me.

Everything she played sounded right off of a Rage Against the Machine CD, but in a good way. I kept thinking the words “hippie” and “grunge” during their set. That seemed to best classify what I was hearing.

After a brief set from them it was time for Sonic Youth to come on.

I was expecting a four piece to hit the stage, but was surprised by a fifth member, Mark Ibold, who plays bass. I was familiar with him as the bassist for Pavement. He did a really good job yet it was obvious which members have been touring together for the longest.

Their set was almost entirely comprised of songs off of The Eternal. The songs “Anti-Orgasm”, “Antenna”, “What We Know”, and “Massage The History” stuck out as the best songs from The Eternal.

Antenna seemed more psychedelic live than on their album. They also included some older songs such as “The Sprawl”, “Stereo Sanctity”, “White Cross”, and “Death Valley ‘69.”

The best part of the show for me was when they played “Massage The History”. I was really blown away by this song since it’s not my favorite on the album. As Lee was playing some incredible ambient tones, Thurston brought out an acoustic guitar and Kim’s haunting voice floated through the air, I was reminded why people take drugs and go see live music.

For those not familiar with Sonic Youth’s live show they do something that I have personally never seen before. After almost every single song they switch guitars. Each guitar is tuned differently and is used and tuned specifically for pretty much one song.

There were a couple of new songs that didn’t seem to work as well as the others. “Leaky Lifeboat” sticks out the most. I really couldn’t get into it. I think they would benefit by taking out a couple new songs and throwing in either an extended jam or a couple of their older songs. The general sentiment around me in the crowd was that everyone was having a great time but they weren’t playing enough old songs. Somebody right behind me must have yelling 100% just about the entire show. The crowd seemed to burst with energy as soon as they played a song from their older albums especially during “The Sprawl”. I was expecting a lot of extended noise jams yet for some reason they only jammed out once or twice that I recall.

A few years ago I had the misfortune of seeing Aerosmith in concert. I am bringing this up because the members of Sonic Youth are all in their early to mid-fifties. If you’re anything like me, you hear that and an immediate comparison to Aerosmith or the Rolling Stones comes up in your mind. Watching Aerosmith was like watching a creepy old man beating off on stage and telling you what a great person he is while doing it. Sonic Youth was nothing like that. For me it was like meeting an uncle for the first time that surprises me by giving me a case of beer and a lifetime’s supply of good weed. I won’t say that “for their age” they were really good. That demeans the experience that I had. They had more energy and vitality on stage than many bands half their age. They melted my fucking face with sounds I have never heard come from a guitar before. The great thing about this band is that they continue to stay relevant and inventive. In the current age of iPod’s and the 1000 song playlists this is no easy feat. They really came alive in a live setting and I wouldn’t miss them if they ever come my way again.

• Posted by Joe Ennis on July 18, 2009 at 11:07 pm
• Tags: Sonic Youth, The Entrance Band, Variety Playhouse
  

5 Responses to “Live Review And Photos: Sonic Youth, The Entrance Band at The Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA (07/13/09)”

1. kimb Says: July 19th, 2009 at 4:39 pm

   great review, an interesting and funny read, just as i assumed it would be

2. Mike Says: July 20th, 2009 at 11:23 am

   LOL @ Kim Gordon cleavage shot.

3. heather Says: July 21st, 2009 at 5:29 pm

   Clint your pictures are amazing. Clinch ain’t got nothin’ on you. Muah.

4. Clint Miller Says: July 22nd, 2009 at 1:20 am

   well it was really a picture of the glove mike, and it was right before I touched her hand.

   http://sendingpostcards.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/02pervertartist.jpg

5. Anonymous Says: July 23rd, 2009 at 8:39 pm

   The female bassist was a highlight for you? Maybe because its Paz Lenchantin, former A Perfect Circle member, you goober.

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