Sonic Youth at the Cats Cradle - Carrboro NC
Sonic Youth played the Cats Cradle in Carrboro NC a while back and I was there. I haven't really been too interested in SY for the last 8-10 years (That makes me feel old). "Experimental, Jet Set, Trash and no Star" was the last album that I remember anticipating, and I don't remember thinking much about Sonic Nurse when it came out (other than it is a horrible name for a record). When I saw they were playing in town after lollapalooza was cancelled I figured I would go. I was curious to see what Jim O'Rourke would bring to the live performance and the last time I saw sonic youth it was in Toronto in front of about 30k people. Before the show I bought the new record and was really impressed.
The show was fantastic! I can't believe how hard they rocked. It was amazing to see Kim Gordon only two years younger than my MOTHER rocking the entire sold out crowd for 3 hours. I made a promise to myself that I would try to ROCK THAT HARD when I am in my fifties. Later while reflecting on that promise I realized that I have NEVER rocked even close to that hard and there is no reason to think that I am going to start rocking like that anytime soon.
Kim mid-ROCK.
They had these really cool box lights that would change color and magically display pictures. Halfway through the show I noticed their stage guys sliding transparencies into the boxes. I had been wondering how they worked but had failed to notice the roadies because the ROCK had scrambled my brain.
Thurston spent roughly 37% of the show trying to get his guitar into the ceiling of the club. He can accomplish a task like that because he is 10 or 11 feet tall. It was as if little voices in his head were saying "Thurston, find out what that shitty ceiling tile sounds like on your guitar strings" or "Thurston, what would happen if that huge monitor fell down on your guitar right now?" Between his fights with the ceiling he took some time out to make fun of Williamsburg intelligentsia and to talk about the first show sonic youth played in Chapel Hill circa 1981. Damn.
Lee Renaldo - rocking steady and singing his weird lyrics.
Smells like Steve Shelley.
Wait I thought Jim O'Rourke was in the band now? He is, that's him sort of bent over playing bass. Jim didn't look like he was having such a hot time onstage. Although he came onstage first playing the cool opening of "Golden Blue" (possibly best SY song ever) after a few songs he sort of laid down on the stage and pretty much stayed there for the rest of the show. The ladies absolutely loved Jim, which I found kind of surprising and funny. Between every song they screamed " I LOVE YOU JIM". I figured it must have been the lyrics to halfway to a threeway that endeared him to their hearts.
