The Arches, Glasgow
09/03/04
Considering that this joint tour was mainly stopping off in friendly little theatres around the UK, it seemed quite random that it visited The Arches in Glasgow – a narrow underground tunnel beneath a railway bridge no less. I can live with that, though. Better to be standing down the front of a crowded stage than sitting awkwardly in an anonymous theatre listening to loud music, although admittedly the location of the speakers six rows behind the front of stage wasn’t so pleasing, causing a continual strain to pick out vocals clearly from amongst the volume. But to the music…
Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci haven’t been part of my life since 1996 when I saw them live twice. God, I hated them so much. I’ve changed a lot in eight years, though, so I went into this show with an open mind hoping to be surprised, and ever so briefly, I was. Openers ‘Lady Fair’ and ‘The South of France’ included pretty acoustic pieces that threatened to sweep my mind away - perhaps a little more twee than I prefer, but it was nice.
Things started to get a little weird, though. After mass instrument swapping taking place, every song Gorky’s went into was throwing up new styles as they delved into their past. Occasionally rocking out much harder than you’d expect, the potential was there to really impress me, and oldie ‘Poodle Rockin’’ threw up flickers of recognition. However, all good work was cancelled out in part by the lack of stage presence. Perhaps they’re just crippled by shyness, but the lack of eye contact between members let alone with the audience was unsettling, and by the time the show ended in a drowning whirl of moog-style jams I was feeling lost to Gorky’s all over again. It wasn’t a disaster. They didn’t flood me with hatred this time round, but it could have been nicer.
Alternatively, Yo La Tengo are just Yo La Tengo. Not much has changed since I last saw them live in 2000, but that’s fine. It’s not like AC/DC change their live show either, and by the second song of their set, Glasgow was drowning in an overpowering noise, with Georgia Hubley pounding on the drums like her life depended on it, and Ira Kaplan casually dropping his guitar onto the floor over and over, with piercing eyes daring it to make a crashing noise that didn’t fit in. His expressions seem so serious whenever lost completely in his guitar – harnessing a musician’s body with a bronze cast as a head. Even so, one thing the band don’t lack is character, and after years of being together they still share looks and smiles that defy the intensity of the music, adding warmth to the sonic bomb blast they create.
The sheer noise of the occasion didn’t really reflect the subtlety of recent album Summer Sun at all, but they still share their quieter moments. The dance routine for ‘Nothing But You and Me’ in particular isn’t new to their shows, yet it’s the type of light relief needed to make a show feel special and memorable. ‘Autumn Sweater’ too is that old Yo La Tengo friend from past mix tapes, helping to show a more human side without volume.
With the main set eventually ending on a three-drummer version of ‘Nuclear War’ and an incredibly brutal rendition of ‘Blue Line Swinger’ lasting for nearly 15 minutes, the power of the band was typified by each member taking a turn at losing themselves completely in their instrument for minutes at a time, before all three finally click right back into place like they always seem to.
Who knows how long Yo La Tengo will continue to rock the world? Drummer Georgia looked crippled by the end and was reluctant to be dragged out to the front of stage to perform the encore, but to be fair, I’d have been crippled after one song of playing drums as heavy as that. The songs are still there, the chemistry is strong, and the bodies aren’t broken yet, so long may it continue.
Steven McCarron
Photo: Mike Baehr
:: back to top ::