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, February 27th
Allston Pudding's 15th Birthday!
with Sidney Gish,
Beeef, & Winkler
@ Brighton Music Hall
Friday, February 27th
Hilken & Melissa Band,
Cujo with Jen Trynin,
and Magen Tracy &
the Missed Connections
Early Show @ the Middle East Up
Friday, February 27th
Moviola
Sleepyhead
Thalia Zedek
@ the Lilypad
Friday, February 27th
Lipsmear
Clone
Vivid Bloom
Dyr Faser
@ O'Brien's
Friday, February 27th
Landowner (LP release!)
Balaclava
Rong
Dust Witch
@ Deep Cuts
Friday, February 27th
Winterpills
@ the Charles River Museum
of Industry & Innovation
Saturday, February 28th
Corin Ashley
Anthony Kaczynski
@ Village Social Club
Saturday, February 28th
A Night of Rock n Roll
for the Armory on the Assobet
A Fundraiser featuring...
The Haymakers, Louder Than Milk,
Andrea Gillis, Chris Warren,
and Royal Pines
@ Clover Road Brewery
in Hudson, Massachusetts
Saturday, February 28th
Lucia & the Juiceboxes
Five Feet
Sailor Down
@ Barewolf Brewing, Amesbury
Saturday, February 28th
Minibeast
Tell
@ Thirsty First, Lowell
Saturday, February 28th
Sinnet
Mnemonist
Lunch Mother
& more
@ the Loft
Saturday, February 28th
Ratboys
Florry
@ the Sinclair
Monday, March 2nd
Alejandro Escovedo
@ City Winery Boston
Tuesday, March 3rd
Motherhood
Holiday Music
Darling Effigy
@ O'Brien's
Tuesday, March 3rd
Spiritual Cramp
Radioactivity
Restraining Order
How Much Art
@ the Sinclair
Wednesday, March 4th
Lucid Express
High
Sophie's Bodie
@ O'Brien's
Wednesday, March 4th
Cat Power
"The Greatest 2026" tour
@ Roadrunner
Thursday, March 5th
Mike Viola
Drumming Bird
Ezra Cohen
@ O'Brien's
Friday, March 6th
Michael Shannon,
Jason Narducy,
& friends play REM's
"Life's Rich Pageant"
with opener
Eugene Mirman
@ the Royale
Friday, March 6th
The Ocean Blue
Brian Tighe
@ The Bull Run, Shirley, MA
Sunday, March 8th
Night Hawk
Whiskey Ginger
Aedan MacDougall
@ O'Brien's
Tuesday, March 10th
Trace Mountains
Coma Cinema
Elvis Depressedly
@ the Rockwell
Tuesday, March 10th
Lights
@ the Paradise
Wednesday, March 11th
The EARFULL series
writers reading, songwriters performing.
with authors
Christopher Castellani & Paul Harding
and musicians
Melissa Ferrick & The Hopeless Romantics
@ the Regattabar
Friday, March 13th
Quarters
Paper Lady
@ the Royale
Friday, March 13th
Bedroom Eyes
Vivid Bloom
Unmade Bed
@ Faces Brewing
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
March 13th, 14th, & 15th
Dropkick Murphys
@ MGM Music Hall
Saturday, March 14th
Daniel Romano's Outfit
Shadow Show
Mod Lang
@ the Middle East
Saturday, March 14th
Some Velvet Sidewalk
Minibeast
Lupo Cittá
@ Deep Cuts
Tuesday, March 17th
Dropkick Murphys
@ House of Blues
Thursday, March 19th
Julianna Barwick
& Mary Lattimore
@ the Somerville Armory
Friday, March 20th
The Hives
The Chats
@ House of Blues
Saturday, March 21st
Black Beach
Pinklids
Nice Guys
Dinos
@ Deep Cuts
Saturday, March 21st
Cass McCombs
Chris Cohen
@ Brighton Music Hall
Saturday, March 21st
Joyce Manor
Militarie Gun
Teen Mortgage
Combat
@ House of Blues
Sunday, March 22nd
Maria Somerville
@ the ICA Boston
Sunday, March 22nd
Tracy Bonham
Spring Residency night 2
@ the Burren Backroom
Monday, March 23rd
Matt Berninger
Ronboy
@ the Royale
Monday, March 23rd
Westerman
@ the Sinclair
Tuesday, March 24th
Which Side Are You On?:
A Protest Music Teach Out
"The Women's March" edition
with this month's guests
Tanya Donelly, Evan Greer,
Danielle Miraglia, Sandy Netburn,
Salyse, and Genie Santiago
all backed by the Paid Protesters
@ the Burren Backroom
Thursday, March 26th
The Format
Piebald
Adult Mom
@ Roadrunner
Friday, March 27th
Mike Gordon (Phish) & his band
@ the Paradise
Friday, March 27th
Downtown Boys
Whyte Lipstick
@ Deep Cuts
Friday, March 27th
Old 97s
Lizzie No
@ the Sinclair
Friday, March 27th
Slomosa
@ Brighton Music Hall
Friday, March 27th
Gwar
Soulfly
King Parrot
@ the House of Blues
Saturday, March 28th
Hey I'm Outside
@ Remnant Satellite
Sunday, March 29th
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
@ Sanders Theatre
Monday, March 30th
Tigers Jaw
Hot Flash Heat Wave
@ the Sinclair
Wednesday, April 1st
Wednesday (the band)
@ Roadrunner
Thursday, April 2nd
On Cinema Live! with
Tim Heidecker
& Gregg Turkington
@ the Wilbur
Friday, April 3rd
Patrick Watson
@ Somerville Theatre
Friday & Saturday
April 3rd & 4th
Hayley Williams
Water From Your Eyes
@ House of Blues
Saturday, April 4th
Throwing Muses
@ the Paradise
Saturday, April 4th
The Dirty Three
@ the Sinclair
Saturday, April 4th
Puscifer
Dave Hill
@ the Wang Theatre
Sunday, April 5th
Glen Hansard
@ City Winery Boston
Wednesday, April 8th
The Wedding Present
Mark Robinson
@ the Sinclair
Wednesday, April 8th
Mclusky
Pile
@ the Paradise
Thursday, April 9th
Jane Siberry
@ City Winery Boston
Thursday, April 9th
Stuck
@ Deep Cuts
Thursday, April 9th
Circle Jerks
Gorilla Biscuits
@ the Paradise
Friday, April 10th
Band of Horses
@ the Cabot in Beverly
Friday, April 10th
TAKAAT
Major Stars
KO Queen
@ Deep Cuts
Saturday, April 11th
Will Dailey
@ the Paradise
Saturday, April 11th
DARK SPRING BOSTON
@ Sonia
Saturday, April 11th
Hot Stove Cool Music returns!
with Fountains of Wayne,
Kay Hanley, Peter Gammons,
Will Dailey, Hot Stove All-Stars,
and more!
@ the Paradise
Saturday, April 11th
A benefit for Dana Farber!
Sidewalk Driver
Silver Screams
The Wynotts
Duck & Cover
@ Faces
Sunday, April 12th
Holy Fuck
@ the Rockwell
Sunday, April 12th
Club D'Elf (LP Release!)
@ the Sinclair
Sunday, April 12th
Bush
Mammoth
James and the Cold Gun
@ MGM Music Hall
Tuesday, April 14th
The Chameleons
The Veldt
@ Crystal Ballroom
Tuesday, April 14th
Fantastic Cat
@ The Middle East Up
Thursday, April 16th
Rhiannon Giddens
@ the Orpheum
Friday, April 17th
Snail Mail
Swirlies
Sharp Pins
@ Big Night Live
Friday, April 17th
Pallbearer
@ Widowmaker, Braintree
Saturday, April 18th
The Last Dinner Party
Florence Road
@ Roadrunner
Saturday, April 18th
Nick Offerman
"Big Woodchuck" tour
@ the Chevalier Theatre
Sunday, April 19th
Heavenly
Swansea Sound
Jeanines
@ the Sinclair
Sunday, April 19th
Tracy Bonham
Spring Residency night 3
@ the Burren Backroom
Monday, April 20th
The Antlers
Tōth
@ Brighton Music Hall
Monday, April 20th
Broncho
@ the Sinclair
Tuesday, April 21st
José González
Abby Sage
@ the Royale
Wednesday, April 22nd
to Wednesday, April 29th
The Independent Film Festival Boston
@ indie cinemas around town
Wednesday, April 22nd
Waxahatchee
MJ Lenderman
@ the Wang
Thursday, April 23rd
Weedeater
Conan
@ Sonia
Saturday, April 25th
Robin Pecknold
(of Fleet Foxes)
Allegra Krieger
@ Shalin Liu Performance Ctr.
in Rockport, MA
Saturday, April 25th
Cock Sparrer
Haywire
Lower Class Brat
Yellow Stitches
@ Roadrunner
Monday, April 27th
The Afghan Whigs
Mercury Rev
@ the Royale
Monday, April 27th
Fishbone
@ the Sinclair
Thursday to Sunday
April 30th to May 3rd
LCD Soundsystem
@ Roadrunner
Thursday, April 30th
Oklou
@ the Royale
Thursday, April 30th
through Sunday, May 3rd
The Hold Steady
celebrate 30 years of
"Boys and Girls in America"
@ the Sinclair
Thursday, April 30th
through Saturday, May 2nd
The full lineup has been shared for...
The Town and the City Festival
featuring
John Doe (from X) & David Lowery
(from Camper Van Beethoven & Cracker)
The Felice Brothers, Vundabar, Copilot,
Tanya Donelly & Chris Brokaw,
Future Teens, GA-20, Steve Wynn,
John Lanford & Friends, Kris Delmhorst,
Christana Vane, The Wolff Sisters, JVK,
Megan From Work, Tysk Tysk Task,
The Ghouls (performing Black Sabbath),
Burp. (performing the Beatles),
The Deliriants (reunion), Toluca Lake,
Western Education, Dom the Composer,
Dee Tension & the Secrets, Abby Moskow,
Stay At Home Dads, Other Brother Darryl,
The Evolutionists, Nigel Wearne, Tell,
Poorhouse Records Allstars, Krixus,
Dead Vapor, Mike's Carwash, Sinnet,
Grave Givertz, Joshua Theodore,
Losing Side, Phantom Ocean, Ron's Car,
Weatherman, Makeshift Kings,
Charming Arson, The Darlin', Make It So,
Josh McKelvie, Ruby Red, Beagle Dog,
Marcy the Baptist, Your Friends,
Jazz Criminals, Ava Sophia,
and Everly Estelle, plus comedians
Tony V, Kristin O'Brien, Jen Howell,
Jacques Lambert, & James Hamilton
along with a reading of
"Fenway Punk" by Chris Wrenn
@ many venues through Lowell, MA
Friday, May 1st
Tanya Donelly
& Chris Brokaw
@ First Church, Cambridge
Sunday, May 3rd
Good Flying Birds
Galore
Grass Widow
@ the Lilypad
Monday, May 4th
Yumi Zouma
Ducks Ltd.
@ the Sinclair
Monday, May 4th
Harvard Bookstore presents
Gaelynn Lea in conversation
with Adrian Anantawan
and Colleen Flanagan
@ Cambridge Public Library
Tuesday, May 5th
Dry Cleaning
YHWH Nailgun
@ the Paradise
Tuesday, May 5th
The Messthetics
and James Brandon Lewis
@ City Winery Boston
Tuesday, May 5th
Gladie
Noun
@ Deep Cuts
Saturday, May 9th
Remember Sports
Cusp
@ Crystal Ballroom
Saturday, May 9th
Somerville Porchfest
all around Somerville
Sunday, May 10th
The Cribs
@ the Sinclair
Wednesday, May 13th
Courtney Barnett
Momma
Truman Sinclair
@ Roadrunner
Wednesday, May 13th
Failure
All Under Heaven
@ the Sinclair
Thursday, May 14th
The Head & the Heart
The Brudi Brothers
@ the Wang Theatre
Thursday, May 14th
(moved from March 5th)
The Joy Formidable
@ the Somerville Armory
Thursday, May 14th
Melody's Echo Chamber
@ the Royale
Friday, May 15th
Nova One (LP release show!)
Bong Wish
Winkler
@ Deep Cuts
Sunday, May 17th
Tracy Bonham
Spring Residency night 4
@ the Burren Backroom
Thursday, May 19th
Chapterhouse
she's green
@ the Sinclair
Tuesday & Wednesday
May 19th & 20th
Belle & Sebastian
play "Tigermilk" (19th) and
"If You're Feeling Sinister" (20th)
with
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
@ the Orpheum
Friday, May 22nd
The Sheila Divine
"The Middle Ages" LP release show!
@ Brighton Music Hall
Friday, May 22nd
King Tuff
Mod Lang
@ the Middle East Up
Friday, May 22nd
The Black Angels
L.A. Witch
@ the Royale
Saturday, May 23th
Robber Robber
@ Deep Cuts
Sunday, May 24th
David Lee Roth
@ the House of Blues
Sunday, May 24th
Bruce Springsteen
& the E Street Band
@ TD Garden
Saturday, May 30th
Napalm Death
Acid Bath
Pig Destroyer
@ Roadrunner
Saturday, May 30th
Corinne Bailey Ray
@ Cary Hall, Lexington
Sunday, May 31st
James Blake
@ Roadrunner
Wednesday, June 3rd
Ryan Bingham
& the Texas Gentlemen
@ Roadrunner
Thursday, June 4th
St. Vincent
with the Boston Pops Orchestra
@ Boston Symphony Hall
Friday, June 5th
Freddie Gibbs
Geordie Greep
@ Roadrunner
Friday & Saturday
June 5th & 6th
They Might Be Giants
@ the House of Blues
Sunday, June 7th
Kevin Morby
Liam Kazar
@ the Royale
Wednesday, June 10th
The Avett Brothers
and Mike Patton
present AVTT/PTTN
@ the Wang
Wednesday, June 10th
Primus
Les Claypool's Frog Brigade
The Lennon Delirium
@ the Pavilion
Thursday, June 11th
Echo & the Bunnymen
@ Roadrunner
Thursday, June 11th
Hrishikesh Hirway
@ the Sinclair
Friday, June 12th
Dave Matthews Band
@ the Xfinity Center
Saturday, June 20th
Young the Giant
Cold War Kids
Almost Monday
@ the Pavilion
Saturday, June 20th
Jimmy Eat World
"Bleed American" 25th Anniversary
Thrice
Girls Against Boys
@ MGM Music Hall
Monday, June 22nd
Mumford & Sons
Lord Huron
Dylan Gossett
@ Fenway Park
Tuesday, June 23rd
Wolfmother
@ House of Blues
Wednesday, June 24th
The Church
The Singles Tour
(rescheduled from 8/1/25)
@ Somerville Theatre
Wednesday, June 24th
Sammy Hagar & his band
Rick Springfield
@ the Xfinity Center
Friday, June 26th
Souled American
@ Deep Cuts
Sunday, June 28th
Weird Nightmare
@ Deep Cuts
Monday, June 29th
Santana
The Doobie Brothers
@ the Xfinity Center
Friday, June 27th
The Human League
Soft Cell
Alison Moyet
@ the Wang
Tuesday & Wednesday
June 30th & July 1st
Goose
@ the Pavilion
Thursday, July 2nd
Godsmack
Stone Temple Pilots
Dorothy
@ the Xfinity Center
Tuesday, July 7th
Black Country, New Road
Horsegirl
@ Roadrunner
Wednesday, July 8th
Buck Meek
Kisser
@ the Sinclair
Wednesday, July 8th
American Football
Ian Sweet
@ the Royale
Wednesday, July 8th
Lionel Richie
Earth, Wind & Fire
@ the TD Garden
Thursday, July 9th
Stewart Copeland
spoken word tour
@ City Winery Boston
Friday, July 10th
Sarah McLachlan
Allison Russell
@ the Pavilion
Saturday, July 11th
Poppy
Landmvrks
Thousand Below
@ Roadrunner
Saturday, July 11th
Noah Kahan
@ Fenway Park
Tuesday, July 14th
Joe Jackson
@ the Chevalier
Tuesday, July 21st
Billy Strings
@ Agganis Arena
Sunday, July 26th
Men At Work
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Shonen Knife
@ South Shore Music Circus
Monday, July 27th
Metric
Broken Social Scene
Stars
@ MGM Music Hall
Thursday, July 30th
Tomahawk
Melvins
@ House of Blues
Friday, July 31st
Tori Amos
@ the Pavilion
Friday & Saturday
July 31st & August 1st
Phish
@ Fenway Park
Wednesday, August 5th
Buddy Guy
@ Lynn Auditorium
Saturday, August 8th
Hilary Duff
@ Xfinity Center
Friday, August 14th
Blues Traveler
Gin Blossoms
Spin Doctors
@ the Pavilion
Thursday, August 20th
Indigo Girls
@ the Chevalier
Thursday, September 3rd
Robyn
Avalon Emerson & the Charm
@ Agganis Arena
Friday, September 4th
Peter Hook & the Light
play New Order's "Get Ready"
@ House of Blues
Wednesday, September 9th
Social Distortion
Descendents
The Chats
@ Roadrunner
Saturday & Monday
September 12th & 14th
Rush
@ TD Garden
Saturday, September 12th
Devotchka
plays "Little Miss Sunshine"
@ the Sinclair
Monday, September 14th
Aldous Harding
@ the Sinclair
Monday, September 21st
Cabarat Voltaire
@ the Wilbur
Tuesday, September 22nd
Bikini Kill
@ Roadrunner
Wednesday, September 23rd
Armand Hammer
@ the Somerville Armory
Wednesday, September 23rd
UB40
@ the Wilbur
Friday & Saturday
October 9th & 10th
Superdrag
@ Brighton Music Hall
Saturday, October 17th
Sugar
J. Robbins
@ Roadrunner
Friday, October 23rd
Bruce Cockburn
Livingston Taylor
@ the Chevalier Theatre
Monday, November 9th
Hiss Golden Messenger
@ the Sinclair
Thursday, November 12th
Die Spitz
@ the Paradise
