Bradley’s Almanac

[30 Years Ago Today] 4AD’s 13 Year Itch Festival

Posted on July 19, 2023 at 2:48 pm | No Comments

A quick post to mark a noteworthy anniversary…

4AD - The 13 Year Itch

Thirty years ago today I was in England for the first time ever, and for a very, very special reason: A week-long celebration of the venerable 4AD record label called “The 13 Year Itch” at the ICA London. Monday, July 19th through Saturday, July 24th, 1993. Six nights of music, two scheduled bands each night, with unannounced ‘special guests’ each evening. Plus unique video presentations and a gallery of the unmistakable artwork of Vaughan Oliver (RIP), Chris Bigg, and their collaborators at v23. The announced lineup? Undeniable. Kristin Hersh, Pale Saints, Unrest, His Name Is Alive, Bettie Serveert, Underground Lovers, Red House Painters, Insides, The Breeders, The Wolfgang Press, Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance, and Heidi Berry. Some of the surprise bands? Throwing Muses, Lush, Ether (more on them below), and bonus second sets from the Breeders & Unrest. Unreal.

This trip started my unending love-affair with label-centric festivals. As much as I say I’m not a ‘festival kinda guy’, if a label I love is throwing one, I’m probably there. Merge, Teen-Beat, Matador, Touch & Go, Slumberland, Numero (earlier this year), Dromedary (later this year), I’ve been to a lot of ’em, and they’ve been some of the musical/travel highlights of my life.

Interview clips & live footage from the UK version of MTV’s 120 minutes

Some random personal (and mostly fuzzy) recollections from that week to accompany some photos I snapped below…

  • Whew, those surprise guests. I was a massive Throwing Muses fan who was already excited enough to see Kristin Hersh solo, and certainly didn’t expect the whole band to play that week. And having the Breeders walk on stage a day after their scheduled slot for a bonus set? Hearing songs from the not-yet-released “Last Splash”? Thrilling. And Lush?! Premiering songs that would eventually appear on their 1994’s “Split” LP (and even one from 1996’s “Lovelife”). Amazing. And then there’s Ether… a supergroup if ever there was one. When they took their places in front of us, I couldn’t believe my eyes and then my ears: The band included the much-missed Caroline Crawley of Shelleyan Orphan along with guitarist Pearl Thompson and drummer Boris Williams of the Cure. Having two members of your favorite band suddenly appear in front of you is a shocking, unforgettable thing. And that meant that I’d get to see two of my top five fave drummers play that week (guess the other). Ridiculous.

  • I was very glad to randomly meet Andrea Feldman & Susan Curran early in the week, who had also traveled from New England, Providence to be exact. Fellow music (and 4AD) nuts who were starting up a great ‘zine called Warped Reality, they made my first-ever overseas solo trip that much more comfortable, and it hit hard when Susan passed away a decade ago (can’t believe it’s been that long). I also got to hang with Brant Nelson, who would found Dewdrops Records that year, and would eventually put out music from the first band I was ever in.

  • Another chance encounter and bit-of-bonding I treasure is with Red House Painters guitarist Gordon Mack. We got talking shortly after I arrived when I recognized him in the crowd and hit it off… he was incredibly kind, open, and affable, and we spent a bunch of time together that week. I was in awe of his band, but he was so genuine that he instantly squashed any of my potential fanboy behavior. When he’d had enough of the crowd at one point, he said “Let’s get outta here and hit a pub.” We lost touch, and I was bummed when he eventually left the band… they never sounded better than when he was creating his soundscapes inside of their songs.

  • There’s a mystery photo below, and maybe someone reading this can help with my faulty memory. One of the pictures is of Ian Masters, who was at the festival but who, as I was recently reminded, had left the Pale Saints by that point. Was his new band Spoonfed Hybrid one of the surprise guests? Did he jump on stage with His Name Is Alive? I don’t remember! Do you? Let me know. Update! HNIA drummer Trey was kind enough to confirm that Ian did, in fact, play bass with them during their set. Which I was surely very excited about at the time, but the knowledge disappeared with the passing years. Mystery solved!

  • You can find some of the setlists from that week at Setlist.fm, and listen to a few live recordings on youtube.

    Here’s my set of point-and-shoot photos from the week. Wish I’d taken more, but the pre-digital-camera era and varied crowd spots kept it limited (though I certainly think I got enough shots of Kim Deal :-))…

    Kim Deal of the Breeders during their surprise set

    Kelley Deal of the Breeders

    Kim again

    The Breeders’ Josephine Wiggs

    more Kim

    Kelley Deal wearing my favorite Unrest t-shirt

    Look, it’s Kim again

    Kim Deal, back when you could smoke on stage

    Josephine Wiggs of the Breeders

    another Kim Deal shot

    … and a last one for good measure

    Caroline Crawley of Ether

    Ether’s Pearl Thompson

    Ether’s Caroline Crawley

    Karin Oliver of His Name Is Alive

    Guest Jason Farrell helps introduce Red House Painters

    Former Pale Saint Ian Masters on stage with His Name Is Alive

    Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses

    Throwing Muses’ Kristin Hersh & David Narcizo

    Gordon Mack of Red House Painters

    Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters

    Red House Painters’ Gordon Mack

    Mark Robinson of Unrest

    Bridget Cross of Unrest

    Unrest’s Mark Robinson

    Unrest’s Mark Robinson

    Unrest’s Mark Robinson & Bridget Cross

    Mark Robinson sporting a spiffy Tsunami t-shirt

    Michael Allen of The Wolfgang Press

    Bless you, Ivo-Watts Russell, and everyone involved in putting that week together, for giving this Vermont kid a reason to take his first-ever cross-Atlantic flight. And memories I’ll never forget. Mostly.

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  • BOSTON-AREA LIVE SHOW ACTION
    Friday, November 8th
    Bumblebee Radio Presents
    Count Zero (record release)
    Singer Mali
    Lovina Falls
    @ Sonia

    Saturday, November 9th
    Greg Hawkes (of the Cars)
    with Eddie Japan
    performing the songs of
    The Cars
    @ the Cut

    Saturday, November 9th
    Silver Screams
    Black Helicopter
    Jay Allen & The Archcriminals
    @ the Square Root in Rozzie

    Saturday, November 9th
    TRAITRS
    Dead Leaf Echo
    Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight
    @ the Middle East Upstairs

    Sunday, November 10th
    Judge John Hodgman: Road Court
    @ Coolidge Corner Theatre

    Sunday, November 10th
    David Cross
    Sean Patton
    @ the Royale

    Sunday, November 10th
    Slow Pulp
    Free Range
    @ the Paradise

    Monday, November 11th
    James Vincent McMorrow
    Young Jesus
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Tuesday, November 12th
    Lucinda Williams & her band
    @ the Chevalier Theatre

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    November 12th & 13th
    Adrianne Lenker (Big Thief)
    @ the Shubert Theatre

    Wednesday, November 13th
    Marshall Crenshaw
    @ City Winery

    Friday, November 15th
    Declaw
    Trash Sun (EP release!)
    The Dream Today
    Petal Dance
    @ the 4th Wall, Arlington

    Friday, November 15th
    Hallelujah the Hills perform
    "I'm You" in its entirety
    with
    Upper Wilds & Sidebody
    @ Deep Cuts

    Friday, November 15th
    Ratboys
    Palehound
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, November 15th
    Rob Sheffield presents
    his new Taylor Swift
    book "Heartbreak Is The
    National Anthem"
    7pm @ First Parish Church

    Friday, November 15th
    Trash Sun
    @ the 4th Wall

    Saturday, November 16th
    Kal Marks
    Paper Lady
    @ Deep Cuts

    Saturday, November 16th
    Beach Vacation
    Fai Laci
    Lost Film
    @ Warehouse XI

    Saturday, November 16th
    Tokyo Police Club (the final tour)
    @ the Paradise

    Sunday, November 17th
    Chat Pile
    Mamaleek
    Trainlodge
    @ the Sinclair

    Tuesday, November 19th
    EARFULL
    Writers reading. Songwriters singing.
    with authors
    Joan Wickersham & Abbott Kahler
    and performers
    Joanne the Band & Tim Gearan
    @ the Burren Back Room

    Tuesday, November 19th
    Modest Mouse
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Wednesday, November 20th
    A.C. Newman (New P0rnographers)
    celebrates the 20th anniversary
    of his LP "The Slow Wonder"
    @ City Winery

    Thursday, November 21st
    An Evening with John Waters
    @ the Coolidge Corner Theatre

    Thursday, November 21st
    Horse Jumper of Love
    Spencer Radcliffe & Everything
    Primal Rat Screw
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, November 22nd
    The Smithereens
    featuring vocalist Robin Wilson
    @ City Winery

    Friday, November 22nd
    Dawes
    Winnetka Bowling League
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, November 22nd
    Amy Helm
    (full band show)
    @ the Cut

    Friday, November 22nd
    Yoke Lore
    Runnner
    @ the Royale

    Saturday, November 23rd
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
    Alan Sparhawk (of Low)
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday, November 23rd
    J Mascis
    @ the Sinclair

    Monday, November 25th
    Tyler + the Names
    Lupo Citta
    The Spatulas
    @ the Silhouette

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    November 26th & 27th
    The English Beat
    @ City Winery

    Friday, November 29th
    Caspian
    @ the Cabot, Beverly

    Sunday, December 1st
    Interpol
    Cave In
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, December 1st
    Gillian Welch &
    David Rawlings
    @ the Wilbur

    Wednesday, December 4th
    The Ladybug Transistor
    Lightheaded
    Mark Robinson (Unrest/Air Miami)
    @ Deep Cuts

    Thursday, December 5th
    The 8th Annual Allman-Betts
    Family Revival featuring...
    Devon Allman, Duane Betts,
    Sierra Hull, Luther Dickinson,
    Cody Dickinson, Jimmy Hall,
    Anders Osborne, Larry McCray,
    Lindsay Lou, Jackie Greene, G. Love,
    Lamar Williams, Jr., Alex Orbison,
    Robert Randolph, & Sierra Green
    @ the Orpheum

    Friday, December 6th
    BASIC
    (Chris Forsyth, Douglas McCombs,
    & Mikel Patrick Avery)
    Chris Brokaw Rock Band
    @ the Middle East Upstairs

    Friday, December 6th
    Mike Viola
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday, December 6th
    BEAT plays the music
    of 80s King Crimson
    featuring Adrian Belew, Steve Vai,
    Tony Levin, & Danny Carey
    @ the Lynn Auditorium

    Saturday, December 7th
    Ted Leo & Aimee Mann's
    The Christmas Show!
    with Paul F. Tompkins,
    Nellie McKay, Josh Gondelman,
    & "other fun stuff"
    @ the Cabot, Beverly, MA

    Sunday, December 8th
    Footballhead
    New Age Thief
    @ Warehouse XI

    Monday, December 9th
    Joyce Manor celebrating
    10 years of 'Never Hungover Again'
    with Algnernon Cadwallader
    & the Ergs
    @ the Royale

    Thursday, December 12th
    Wednesday (solo)
    Cryogeyser (solo)
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Thursday, December 12th
    The Jesus Lizard
    Pile
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, December 13th
    Suki Waterhouse
    Bully
    @ Roadrunner

    Saturday & Sunday
    December 14th & 15th
    They Might Be Giants
    @ the Orpheum

    Sunday, December 15th
    Tiny Moving Parts
    Action/Adventure
    Greywind
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Saturday, December 21st
    The Del Fuegos
    Holiday Shows!
    2 shows @ City Winery

    Friday, December 27th
    Will Dailey
    full album performance
    @ the Burren

    Tuesday, December 31st
    Aerosmith (farewell tour)
    with the Black Crowes
    @ TD Garden

    Saturday, January 4th
    The Sheila Divine
    Baabes
    Teardrops
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, January 17th
    Speedy Ortiz
    Grass Is Green
    & a surprise guest
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Sunday, Monday, & Tuesday
    January 19th, 20th, & 21st
    Robert Glasper
    two shows each day
    @ City Winery

    Tuesday, January 21st
    This Is Lorelei
    Youbet
    @ the Rockwell

    Saturday, January 25th
    Stereo MC's
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, January 31st
    Half Waif
    See You At The Maypole
    @ the Somerville Armory

    Friday, January 31st
    Jamie XX
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, January 31st
    Frank Black & his band
    play "Teenager of the Year"
    @ the House of Blues

    Saturday, February 1st
    Stuart Murdoch
    (Belle & Sebastian)
    "Nobody's Empire" book tour
    @ the Rockwell

    Saturday & Sunday
    February 1st & 2nd
    The Bowery Presents &
    Run For Cover Records
    present "Something In The Way"
    with
    Slowdive, Balance & Composure,
    Soccer Mommy, American Football,
    Fiddlehead, Mannequin Pussy,
    Militarie Gun, Sweet Pill, Anxious,
    One Step Closer, Ovlov, Glare,
    Enumclaw, Sadurn, Gouge Away,
    Mini Trees, Great Grandpa, Dazy,
    Wishy, My Fictions, Women in Peril,
    & more TBA
    @ Roadrunner

    Tuesday, February 4th
    Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains)
    Filter
    @ the House of Blues

    Friday, February 7th
    Rubblebucket
    Hannah Mohan
    @ Big Night Live

    Monday, February 10th
    Tim Heidecker
    DJ Douggpound
    @ the Royale

    Tuesday, February 11th
    Lauren Mayberry (Chvrches)
    @ the Royale

    Saturday, February 15th
    Travis
    @ the Royale

    Saturday, February 22nd
    Father John Misty
    Destroyer
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, February 23rd
    Jenny Owens Young
    @ Club Passim

    Thursday, February 27th
    Pom Pom Squad
    Caroline Kingsbury
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, February 28th
    The Bevis Frond
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Friday, March 7th
    Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy,
    & friends mark the 40th anniversary of
    R.E.M.'s "Fables of the Reconstruction"
    (and more) with opener Dave Hill
    @ the Royale

    Friday, March 14th
    Dropkick Murphys
    Menzingers
    Kilograms

    Saturday, March 15th
    Hovvdy
    Video Age
    @ the Middle East Downstairs

    Saturday, March 15th
    Dream Theater
    40th Anniversary Tour
    @ the Wang

    Saturday, March 15th
    Dropkick Murphys
    Menzingers
    Teenage Bottlerocket
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Sunday, March 16th
    Dropkick Murphys
    Bouncing Souls
    Hot Water Music
    Rebuilder
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Monday, March 17th
    Dropkick Murphys
    Bouncing Souls
    Hot Water Music
    Cody Nilson
    @ House of Blues

    Wednesday, March 19th
    Quicksand
    @ the Paradise

    Thursday, March 20th
    Neil Degrasse Tyson
    @ the Wilbur

    Sunday, March 23rd
    Ida & Tsunami!
    the Coin-Flip tour!
    @ Crystal Ballroom

    Thursday, March 27th
    José González
    @ the Cabot in Beverly

    Saturday, March 29th
    Maya Hawke
    Katy Kirby
    @ Roadrunner

    Sunday, March 30th
    The Hard Quartet
    Sharp Pins
    @ the Paradise

    Saturday, April 5th
    Snow Patrol
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Saturday, April 5th
    Franz Ferdinand
    @ the Orpheum

    Tuesday, April 8th
    Deftones
    The Mars Volta
    Fleshwater
    @ TD Garden

    Wednesday, April 9th
    Kylie Minogue
    @ the Garden

    Friday, April 11th
    Mogwai
    @ the Paradise

    Sunday, April 13th
    Heart
    @ Agganis Arena

    Tuesday, April 15th
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
    St. Vincent
    @ Agganis Arena

    Thursday, April 17th
    Mercury Rev
    @ Brighton Music Hall

    Friday, April 18th
    Mount Eerie
    Hana Stretton
    @ the Sinclair

    Friday, April 18th
    Bright Eyes
    @ House of Blues

    Sunday, April 20th
    Gang of Four
    "The Long Goodbye" farewell tour
    playing "Entertainment!" & more
    @ the Crystal Ballroom

    Wednesday, April 23rd
    The Linda Lindas
    Pinkshift
    @ the Paradise

    Friday & Saturday
    April 25th & 26th
    The Town and the City Festival!
    @ various venues in Lowell

    Saturday, May 17th
    Amyl & the Sniffers
    Sheer Mag
    @ Roadrunner

    Friday, May 30th
    Teddy Swims
    @ Suffolk Downs

    Tuesday & Wednesday
    June 10th & 11th
    Queens of the Stone Age
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Monday, July 7th
    OMD
    @ House of Blues

    Tuesday, July 15th
    Weird Al Yankovic
    @ the Wang

    Friday & Saturday
    July 18th & 19th
    PIXIES
    performing "Bossanova"
    & "Trompe Le Monde" (18th)
    and a set of classics (19th)
    with Kurt Vile & the Violators
    @ MGM Music Hall

    Monday, July 21st
    Ghost
    @ TD Garden