at The Bluebird
10/29
9pm
$30
Tickets available at The Bluebird & Landlocked Music.
One of the most popular indie rock groups of all time, Guided By Voices, are set to play a show at The Bluebird this Friday, October 29. The group's blend of post punk with chiming, jangly guitars made them one of the most interesting and popular indie groups of the 90s. During my quest to become knowledgeable about indie rock, GBV, Dinosaur Jr. and Huesker Due were bands that I wrote off as not worth my time and potentially bad because of what I'd read in my Rolling Stone album guide.
You would think the fact that I trusted the opinion of Rolling Stone would have set off some alarm bells, given that they almost automatically give four stars or more to any album put out by a Baby Boomer rock icon.
When I came to my senses and realized that, yes I am quite capable of forming my own opinions and decided whether or not music is any good. I've since to come to love all three groups. "I Am A Scientist" from 1994's Bee Thousand is one of my most played songs on iTunes. I was always happy to see it pop up on the Genius mixes I occasionally used, right between classic tracks from The Replacements and Pavement. I was ecstatic when, in the midst of purchasing tickets for shows in the fall, I noticed that GBV was playing The Bluebird.
I couldn't believe my luck, having a chance to see one of my favorite bands at one of my favorite music venues. I nearly passed out from sheer happiness when I saw that the band was going to be playing songs from their so-called classic period. When I see an artist if they're not touring as a nostalgia act for baby boomers desperate to return to a time when music made sense and they had a head full of hair, they're playing material to support their most recent album. So I often don't get to hear older, lesser-known songs by artists I enjoy. While I realize that Guided By Voices will probably stick with the most popular songs from 1992-1996, there's still a chance to hear some rarities.
I anticipate a fantastic show on Friday. I've been worried that the group might not be as tight as they once were, but everything I've been hearing has been very positive. I hope to see you there. I'll be the idiot in the back trying to start the Halloween festivities early dressed as Homer Simpson screaming for "Game of Pricks."
-Andrew Crowley
