Have you ever had something really, really great ruined for you by something someone said or did? That happened to me this past Friday at the Guided By Voices concert. I had thoroughly enjoyed myself, before Robert Pollard launched into a vituperation of Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith.
It's not often one gets treated to three encores and a set of nearly 40 songs filled with stone cold classics like "I Am Scientist", "Gold Star For Robot Boy", "A Salty Salute", "Game of Pricks" and many, many others. Guided By Voices played with such passion and conviction that the band was drenched in sweat about 15 minutes in. This tour did not feel like an attempt at cashing in like some indie reunions of more recent vintage. Mr. Black Francis and company, I'm looking at you. Go to one of the Guided By Voices reunion shows, if you get the chance. The band plays really tight and it's an incredibly fun atmosphere with a set list that will satisfy any fan of the group's work in the 90s.
It ranks among the best concerts I've ever seen. There were moments that felt transcendent to me, but that's probably informed by my particular love of a certain song. I'm sure that the most hardcore fans probably felt like they were floating the entire set. Everything about the show was great until the third and final encore. Before starting the first song of the encore, Robert Pollard said to the crowd, "Born to rock & roll. Born to run. Bruce Springsteen said that. If he's the f--king Boss, I quit. F--k the Boss. Did you know that he co-wrote 'Because the Night' with Patti Smith? F--k Patti Smith and F--k The Boss."
My friend, Jordan, who had attended the show, flipped off Pollard and shouted, "F--k you,too!" at him. We were both pretty irritated by it. The show had been immensely positive and this was completely out of left field. I wanted to say a few things, but didn't for fear of being beaten to death by a GBV fan who was as drunk as Robert Pollard. Pollard did a fair amount of drinking that night, which I expected given the group's reputation.
That may explain the anti-Springsteen and anti-Patti Smith jeremiad. I was most irritated by this tirade because as far as I know there's been no bad blood between Springsteen and Guided By Voices. I'll be the first to admit that Springsteen has released bad work but it's not like he dumps hundreds of songs out each year, a quarter of which are actually good. Still, Pollard remarks came across as petulant. But other than that he had a very charming and positive stage manner,like an amateur's failed attempt at a Chevy Chase character, as Jordan described Pollard.
Leave the indier-than-thou pissing contests in the bathroom where they belong; focus on the music and having fun, all right, Mr. Pollard?
Words by Andrew Crowley
Photos by Grant Heger of Blueline Style, originally found on the Spirit of 68 Promotions tumblr.
