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
Thursday, July 25th
GI DOUBLE
featuring Melissa Gibbs &
Andrea Gillis, along with
Dean Fisher, Elizabeth Steen,
Scott Janovitz, Chris Foley,
Charles Hansen, & Brian Sullivan
@ Warehouse XI
Thursday, July 25th
Danielle Miraglia &
Erica Mantone
with Magen, Mike, & Stud
(of the Missed Connections)
@ Medford Brewing
Thursday, July 25th
Jah Wobble (PIL)
"Metal Box: Rebuilt in Dub"
@ City Winery
Thursday-Sunday
July 25th-28th
NICE, a fest
many, many bands
@ Davis Square in Somerville
Saturday, July 27th
Red Kross
Dale Crover
@ Brighton Music Hall
Saturday, July 27th
Grub Sweat and Beers 8
NIGHT ONE
with Crowfeeder, DJ Grayskull,
Karate Steve, Loudsounds,
Morgued, Silver Screams,
Northstar the Wanderer,
Viqueen, Voidkeeper, & Waelmist
@ O'Brien's
Saturday, July 27th
Grub Sweat and Beers 8
NIGHT TWO
Bacterial Husk, Com a hole,
Cortez, Dragged By Chains,
Eyespressedin, Guhts, Kind,
Miracle Blood, Mollusk,
Philip Eno, Shadowclock,
& a special guest
@ O'Brien's
Saturday, July 27th
Tinariwen
@ the Royale
Monday, July 29th
Maserati
Unwed Sailor
@ Deep Cuts
Thursday, August 1st
The Mountain Goats
Field Medic
@ the House of Blues
Friday, August 2nd
Alex McMurray
@ the Rec Room, Belmont
Friday, August 2nd
Foreigner
Styx
John Waite
@ Xfinity Center
Saturday, August 3rd
The Operators
Dyr Faser
Future Party Band
Zowy
@ the Jungle
Saturday, August 3rd
Cheap Trick
@ MGM Music Hall
Sunday, August 4th
Arms Like Roses
Be Safe
@ Coco's Clubhouse
Monday, August 5th
DIIV
Horse Jumper of Love
Full Body 2
@ the Royale
Monday, August 5th
Robyn Hitchcock
reading from his new book
@ Porter Square Books
Monday, August 5th
Def Leppard
Journey
Heart
@ Fenway Park
Wednesday, August 7th
Green Day
Smashing Pumpkins
Rancid
The Linda Lindas
@ Fenway Park
Thursday, August 8th
Up Around the Sun (acoustic duo)
featuring Tim Keer & Jerry Hagins
@ the Rec Room, Belmont
Friday, August 9th
Robber Robber
Clifford
Prewn
@ the 4th Wall
Saturday, August 10th
The Chameleons
play "Strange Times" in full
@ the Sinclair
Saturday, August 10th
Missy Elliott
Ciara
Busta Rhymes
Timbaland
@ the Garden
Sunday, August 11th
Wild Nothing
Peel Dream Magazine
@ the Sinclair
Sunday, August 11th
Hot Franks
Way-Side Sound
The Odd-Lot
@ the Jungle
Sunday, August 11th
Iron & Wine
@ Roadrunner
Monday, August 12th
The Doobie Brothers
Steve Winwood
@ Xfinity Center
Tuesday, August 13th
Gin Blossoms
Toad the Wet Sprocket
@ the Chevalier Theatre
Thursday, August 15th
GI DOUBLE
featuring Melissa Gibbs &
Andrea Gillis, along with
Dean Fisher, Elizabeth Steen,
Scott Janovitz, Chris Foley,
Charles Hansen, & Brian Sullivan
@ Warehouse XI
Thursday, August 15th
John Powhida's
Infirmary Release Party!
with the Shang Hi Los,
& The I Want You
@ the Burren Back Room
Thursday, August 15th
Jon Auer (Posies/Big Star)
live solo show
with openers The Shellye
Valauskas Experience
@ Q Division
Thursday, August 15th
Fred Armisen
@ the Wilbur
Thursday, August 15th
Andrew Bird
Amadou & Mariam
@ Tree House Brewing, Deerfield
Friday, August 16th
Me In Capris
Sailor Down
John Galm
Cape Crush
@ Deep Cuts
Saturday, August 17th
Kid Congo & the Pink Monkeybirds
Lupo Citta
Red Herrings
@ Deep Cuts
Saturday, August 17th
Daniel Romano's Outfit
Uni Boys
Carson McHone
@ Sonia
Monday, August 19th
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Geese
DJ Crenshaw
@ Suffolk Downs
Wednesday, August 21st
Alexa Rose
@ Club Passim
Wednesday, August 21st
NRBQ
@ the Cut
Thursday, August 22nd
Califone
@ a space in Somerville
Friday, August 23rd
Childish Gambino
Willow
@ the Garden
Friday, August 23rd
The Rum Bar Records
Summer Sizzler!
with Cold Expectations,
The Gypsy Moths, &
Girl With A Hawk
@ the Burren Backroom
Friday, August 23rd
Eric Bachmann
Jennifer O'Connor
@ Club Passim
Sunday, August 25th
Dweezil Zappa
The "Rox(Postroh)y" Tour
Celebrating the music of papa Frank
@ the Chevalier Theatre
Sunday, August 25th
Cracker
@ the Cut
Sunday, September 1st
The Roots
Arrested Development
Digable Planets
@ MGM Music Hall
Sunday, September 2nd
Stars
The "Set Yourself On Fire"
20th Anniversary Tour
@ the Royale
Tuesday, September 3rd
King Buzzo (Melvins)
Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle)
JD Pinkus (Melvins/Butthole Surfers)
@ the Sinclair
Tuesday, September 3rd
Peter Hook & the Light
doing both the Joy Division
& New Order "Substance" LPs
@ the Paradise
Wednesday & Thursday
September 4th & 5th
Built to Spill
play "There's Nothing Wrong With Love"
in full, with cello
@ the Paradise
Thursday, September 5th
St. Vincent
@ MGM Music Hall
Friday, September 6th
Charley Bliss
@ the Royale
Friday, September 6th
Rob Zombie
Alice Cooper
Ministry
Filter
@ the Xfinity Center
Friday, September 6th
Lady Lamb
@ the Somerville Armory
Saturday, September 7th
Marika Hackman
@ the Sinclair
Sunday, September 8th
Paul Weller
@ House of Blues
Tuesday, September 10th
Weezer (performing the Blue Album)
with Dinosaur Jr.
& The Flaming Lips
@ the Garden
Wednesday, September 11th
Megadeth
Mudvayne
All That Remains
@ the Pavilion
Thursday, September 12th
Band of Horses
City and Colour
@ Treehouse Brewing, Deerfield
Thursday & Friday
September 12th & 13th
The Lemonheads
@ the Paradise
Friday, September 13th
Beabadoobee
Hovvdy
@ MGM Music Hall
Friday, September 13th
Janes Addiction
Love & Rockets
@ the Pavilion
Friday, September 13th
Squeeze
Boy George
@ the Wang Theatre
Friday, September 13th
Hoodoo Gurus
@ the Royale
Saturday, September 14th
Polaris
Blessthefall
Thousand Below
Nerv
@ Roadrunner
Sunday, September 15th
Belly
in Lowell, MA
Sunday, September 15th
Pet Fox
@ Deep Cuts
Sunday, September 15th
Badflower
Slothrust
@ the House of Blues
Monday, September 16th
Spoon
Phantogram
@ MGM Music Hall
Monday, September 15th &
Sunday, September 17th
Pearl Jam
@ Fenway Park
Monday, September 18th
PJ Harvey
@ MGM Music Hall @ Fenway
Monday, September 18th
Ringo Starr & his All-Starr Band
@ the Chevalier Theatre
Saturday, September 21st
The Rat Reunion: Celebrating The
50th Anniversary of The Rathskeller
@ the Bellforge Arts Center
Sunday, September 22nd
Sisters of Mercy
Blaqk Audio
@ MGM Music Hall
Monday, September 23rd
X
the farewell tour
@ the Wilbur
Monday, September 23rd
Electric Light Orchestra
The "Over and Out" Tour
@ the TD Garden
Tuesday, September 24th
Idles
@ Roadrunner
Wednesday, September 25th
Deerhoof
@ the Somerville Armory
Wednesday, September 25th
The Hives
@ Roadrunner
Thursday, September 26th
The Armed
HO99O9
Kumo 99
DJ Haram
@ the Royale
Wednesday, September 27th
Laura Cantrell
@ Club Passim
Saturday, September 28th
Queens of the Stone Age
The Kills
@ MGM Music Hall
Saturday, September 28th
Eddie Japan
Lovina Falls
Rozy and the Crisis
@ Faces Brewing
Saturday, September 28th
Basement
Narrow Head
Ovlov
Snooper
@ Roadrunner
Sunday, September 29th
Hotline TNT
Disq
@ the Crystal Ballroom
Sunday, September 29th
Soul Coughing
@ Roadrunner
Monday, September 30th
The Softies
Jeanines
Zowy
@ Crystal Ballroom
Monday, September 30th
Death From Above 1979
Teen Mortgage
@ The Sinclair
Monday, September 30th
Brittany Howard
Michael Kiwanuka
Yasmin Williams
@ Roadrunner
Wednesday, October 2nd
Chromeo & the Midnight
@ Roadrunner
Wednesday, October 2nd
The Psychedlic Furs
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Frankie Rose
@ the Orpheum
Thursday, October 3rd
Graham Nash
Judy Collins
@ the Shubert Theater
Thursday, October 3rd
The Lemon Twigs
@ Crystal Ballroom
Thursday, October 3rd
The Get Up Kids
"Something To Write Home About"
25th anniversary tour
with Smoking Popes
@ Big Night Live
Thursday & Friday
October 3rd & 4th
Sofi Tukker
@ Roadrunner
Friday, October 4th
Sting (trio)
@ MGM Music Hall
Friday, October 4th
Loveless
Beauty School Dropout
Julia Wolf
@ Roadrunner
Saturday, October 5th
Everclear
Marcy Playground
Jimmie's Chicken Shack
@ Roadrunner
Saturday, October 5th
Duster
@ the House of Blues
Saturday, October 5th
Nada Surf
Office Dog
@ the Paradise
Saturday, October 5th
Neko Case
@ the Chevalier Theatre
Sunday, October 6th
Lupe Fiasco
@ Roadrunner
Wednesday, October 9th
Los Lobos
@ the Cut
Thursday, October 10th
The Bevis Frond
@ the Crystal Ballroom
Thursday, October 10th
Low Cut Connie
@ the Sinclair
Thursday, October 10th
Johnny Marr
James
@ the Orpheum
Friday, October 11th
Chinese Football
@ the Rockwell
Friday, October 11th
Yard Act
@ the Sinclair
Friday, October 11th
Billie Eilish
@ the Garden
Sunday, October 13th
Fontaines D.C.
Been Stellar
@ Roadrunner
Sunday, October 13th
Wesley Stace
@ Club Passim
Sunday, October 13th
OMD
@ the House of Blues
Monday, October 14th
Tigers Jaw
@ the Royale
Tuesday, October 15th
Air
playing "Moon Safari
@ MGM Music Hall
Wednesday, October 16th
Illuminati Hotties
Daffo
@ The Sinclair
Wednesday, October 16th
Empress Of
@ the Paradise
Wednesday, October 16th
Orville Peck
Nikki Lane
Vincent Neil Emerson
@ MGM Music Hall
Wednesday & Thursday
October 16th & 17th
Nick Lowe with
Los Straitjackets
@ Brighton Music Hall
Thursday, October 17th
Tanukichan
@ the Middle East Downstairs
Thursday, October 17th
Maggie Rogers
Ryan Beatty
@ the Garden
Saturday, October 19th
John Douglas
(of Trashcan Sinatras
@ City Winery
Saturday, October 19th
The The
@ the Orpheum
Saturday, October 19th
Rival Schools
Webbed Wing
Hollow Suns
Twowayradio
@ the Sinclair
Saturday, October 19th
Todd Rundgren
@ the Lynn Auditorium
Monday, October 21st
Boris
Starcrawler
@ the Paradise
Tuesday, October 22nd
MJ Lenderman & the Wind
Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
@ the Royale
Wednesday, October 23rd
OSEES
@ the Royale
Wednesday, October 23rd
Massive Attack
DJ Milo
@ Roadrunner
Friday, October 25th
Moving Targets
The Long Wait
Spiller
@ the Middle East Up
Saturday, October 26th
Fog Lake
Foxes in Fiction
@ the Lilypad
Saturday, October 26th
Cyndi Lauper
farewell tour
@ MGM Music Hall
Sunday, October 27th
Foxing
@ the Sinclair
Monday & Tuesday
October 28th & 29th
Clairo
Alice Phoebe Lou
@ Roadrunner
Tuesday, October 29th
Robyn Hitchcock
Imogen Clark
@ City Winery
Wednesday, October 30th
André 3000:
New Blue Sun Live In Concert
@ the Wang
Wednesday, October 30th
The Go! Team
@ the Sinclair
Friday, November 1st
The Dresden Dolls
Gogol Bordello
Johnny Manchild
& the Poor Bastards
@ Roadrunner
Saturday, November 2nd
The Dresden Dolls
Gogol Bordello
Emperor Norton's
Stationary Marching Band
@ Roadrunner
Friday through Sunday
November 1st - 3rd
Buffalo Tom's
"Please Come To Boston" minifestival
@ the Somerville Armory
Sunday, November 3rd
The Juliana Hatfield Three
@ the Sinclair
Sunday, November 3rd
Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn
@ the ICA
Wednesday, November 6th
Cursive
Gladie
@ Crystal Ballroom
Wednesday, November 6th
The Wallflowers
@ the Wilbur
Saturday, November 9th
TRAITRS
Dead Leaf Echo
Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight
@ the Middle East Upstairs
Sunday, November 10th
David Cross
Sean Patton
@ the Royale
Sunday, November 10th
Slow Pulp
Free Range
@ the Paradise
Tuesday & Wednesday
November 12th & 13th
Adrianne Lenker (Big Thief)
@ the Shubert Theatre
Friday, November 15th
Hallelujah the Hills perform
"I'm You" in it's entirety
with
Upper Wilds & Sidebody
@ Deep Cuts
Friday, November 15th
Ratboys
@ the Sinclair
Saturday, November 16th
Tokyo Police Club (the final tour)
@ the Paradise
Sunday, November 17th
Chat Pile
Mamaleek
Trainlodge
@ the Sinclair
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
Sunday, December 1st
Gillian Welch &
David Rawlings
@ the Wilbur
Friday, December 6th
BEAT plays the music
of 80s King Crimson
featuring Adrian Belew, Steve Vai,
Tony Levin, & Danny Carey
@ the Lynn Auditorium
Thursday, December 12th
The Jesus Lizard
@ Roadrunner
Friday, December 13th
Suki Waterhouse
Bully
@ Roadrunner
Sunday, December 15th
Tiny Moving Parts
Action/Adventure
Greywind
@ the Crystal Ballroom
Tuesday, December 31st
Aerosmith (farewell tour)
with the Black Crowes
@ TD Garden
Friday, January 31st
Frank Black & his band
play "Teenager of the Year"
@ the House of Blues
Saturday, February 15th
Travis
@ the Royale
Thursday, March 20th
Neil Degrasse Tyson
@ the Wilbur