Sunday, September 28, 2008

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So the My Bloody Valentine show last night was kind of a stunner. I think I wanted to go in part out of a sense of obligation--I don't think there is any record I have listened to more in my life than their Loveless, and Isn't Anything is close behind. But a big part of me assumed that the live experience wouldn't quite be able to translate the feelings that I associate with the recorded version-- that was the whole reason they try to be the loudest band, right? To make up for their inability to recreate the album? That's what I thought, anyway.

It was the loudest thing I have ever heard. Ridiculously, I skipped the ear plugs until the finale of "You Made Me Realize." I tried them, but it made the sound to muddy. I mean, if Kevin Shields wanted it to be that loud, who was I to try to counteract his vision by wearing ear-condoms? My ears don't ring at all today, though, which is kind of a surprise.

And I decided not to wear my lawn-mowing ear protectors, too. And I'm glad, because I saw one other guy wearing them, and it would have been awkward.

But the music was just so, well, awesome. I think the entire Aragon Ballroom was in awe of what we were seeing after 16 years of waiting. You could really feel that.

Here's Youtube from last night of one of songs I especially dug.



And Nathan--no sale. By the time we got there, the street was swarming with scalpers asking for only $10--and there were no takers I could see. Sorry!


3 comments:

Unknown said...

No earplugs? Mr. Scott Hill, you are a true fan. Be proud.

And don't worry about not selling the ticket, I was probably a bit delirious in thinking I'd be able to afford to make it back anyway.

Sounds great though. How was the noise holocaust?

Dawn Potter said...

Just today I was driving around the wilds of central Maine eating a really good apple and listening to My Bloody Valentine, without even knowing you had gone to see them. What are the chances of that?

Mr. Hill said...

Whoa, Dawn, a really good apple? That is strange. But no, that is a little weird, and yet I'm not surprised.

You must have been living in the moment to be conscious you were eating a "really good apple." Usually, if anything, I'm thinking more "yet another apple." But you probably snagged yours from your own tree or bought it at a local holier than thou festival.

And as for the noise "holocaust," it was the only dreary part of the show (22 minutes!). I saw a couple hundred people leave when they started it, and others sat down and shut their eyes. It felt like a bad deleted scene from Spinal Tap.