Guided by Voices at Irving Plaza
NYC
June 14, 1996

Guided by Voices headlines a show. There's nothing finer. The band is tight, Bob Pollard is drunk, and the tunes come fast and furious. Great renditions of "Man Called Aerodynamics," "Burning Flag Birthday Suit," "Cut-Out Witch," and "Your Name is Wild," all off the new record Under the Bushes Under the Stars. Plenty of fantastic older material, like "Wished I was a Giant," "14 Cheerleader Coldfront," "Lethargy," "Weed King," "Matter Eater Lad," lots of others. Pollard collapses on stage (or did he just slip?), and spends a few silent seconds on his back with his Chuck Taylor-clad feet up in the air. They didn't play "Melted Pat," but did do "I am a Scientist," and it was obvious from their handshaking and carousing with the folks in front of the stage that these are just a plain nice bunch of guys. Oh, I almost forgot -- "King and Caroline," "Motor Away," "My Valuable Hunting Knife," all from Alien Lanes. They are a fine live band, complete with Townshend-esque windmilling by Mitch Mitchell, and Bob Pollard's mic flailing a-la Roger Daltrey. Tobin Sprout remains mister clean-cut in the band, quietly playing his Telecaster and singing great harmonies. They don't care too much when they make the occasional mistake, they just want to bang out thirty or so songs and rock. And they did.
[CCL 6/15/96]
 
 
 
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