A quick post to mark a noteworthy anniversary…
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.
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