Journeys With GBV, Part 4
This Saturday will be the last time I ever get to see my all-time favorite live band, Guided By Voices, who plan to break up after their current tour. This is GBV Week!
At one point in 2001-02, we see GBV four times in six months. Easily the most memorable time was on our trip to New York for New Year’s 2001. They’re back on Matador, back producing themselves and they are clearly having a good time. On this occasion, I’ve managed to score tickets to see them play at the legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem. They are sharing the bill with MC David Cross and The Strokes, who are 2001′s flavor of the moment.
First of all, just being in Harlem at night — much less at the Apollo — is kind of a trip. It’s already been an odd day; that morning I’d gone down to check out the scene at Ground Zero, which was still very much Ground Zero just three months after that thing happened. The Apollo, it turns out, is kind of run down and not nearly as glamorous as all the televised talent shows would have you think. But it’s still terrific to be there. The halls and stairwells are decorated with glossy photos of past performers, every one making you ooh and aah.
The staff is not ready for a rock n’ roll show, especially not this one. We’re in the first balcony and all the ushers are holding their ears. The Strokes come on to open the show… and Julian falls down! This will be an interesting evening.
Actually, it turns out to be a horrible whooping. The bands switch off sets, but it’s no contest. The Strokes have about a half-hour of solid material. GBV on the other hand has, what, 500 songs? The Strokes surrender early, drunk off their asses, but unfortunately so do the NYC fans who are there mostly to see the hometown side. By the time GBV is done, the place is half-empty. The Apollo, unfortunately, has grossly underestimated the beer-drinking abilities of an indie-rock crowd. They desperately refill the drink stations for a while but by 10pm they’ve just plain given up on keeping the crowd fed.
I read an interview with Bob the next day in the Times. Turns out he’s advised Julian that whenever he’s in doubt onstate, he should fall down because “the kids love it.” I guess Julian is in doubt a lot on stage, especially in the presence of the great GBV!
The next time we see them is three months later at the Warfield with the New Pornographers opening. Another dream show, right? Maybe not. They’ve just plain been to SF too many times and the soft economy takes a toll on attendance. In a half-empty, too-big hall, I’m having a hard time getting into it. For the first time ever, I take stock of the situation and decide to cut out after an hour. They’ll be back, right?
There are other signs of trouble, too. Seemingly many of the best new songs aren’t on GBV’s albums, but are found instead on Robert Pollard’s various other projects. (These are the sources for today’s Soundtrack below.) But I can’t imagine that I won’t have this band around forever. They seem to love their jobs so much.
[Soundtrack]
Robert Pollard with Doug Gillard – Tight Globes.mp3
Robert Pollard & His Soft Rock Renegades – I Drove a Tank.mp3
Airport 5 – Stifled Man Casino.mp3
