09/03/06 - Avalon Ballroom, Boston MA - Page 3

Moshe · 09.06.2006, 11:30 AM

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/liv...+%2F+Arts+News

Sonic Youth tones it down to great effect

By Marc Hirsh, Globe Correspondent | September 6, 2006
Let's take a moment to praise Sonic Youth's guitar techs. They may have the single hardest backstage job in the business, working as they do for a band whose every song requires a unique tuning. They don't just prepare the instruments (each one differently), they have actual guitar cues, for crying out loud, making sure that the right one gets into the right hands at the right time.
Were it not for them, Sonic Youth might not be the great live band it is. At the very least, if Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore were themselves responsible for making quick changeovers to the correct guitars, they'd be a lot more frazzled.

At Avalon Sunday, Sonic Youth laid down the bulk of the strong new disc ``Rather Ripped " alongside a handful of older numbers. In doing so, the band avoided much of the noise and squall that has become synonymous with its name over the past 25 years.
Sure, Moore and Ranaldo went at their guitars with drumsticks, EBows, screwdrivers, and other guitars. But such experimentalism is, ironically enough, a standard part of their performance tool kit by now, as is bassist Kim Gordon's dancing and spinning with abandon as the music reaches freakout intensity. (Pavement's Mark Ibold picked up the slack with a second bass.)
This time around, Sonic Youth was mostly just a band playing songs, and it was a guise that suited it well. ``Teen Age Riot " and ``Incinerate " were propelled by rolling guitar lines and leaping, ecstatic riffs, and Moore's half-whispered vocals atop Steve Shelley's hyperactive heartbeat drums gave ``Or" a celestial sparseness.
Best of all was the almost indescribably gorgeous ``Do You Believe In Rapture? ," built on pinging, churchlike harmonics. It was a less assaultive take on the band's quest for new sounds, and if the lack of pure noise meant that Sonic Youth didn't ripple, it could still glide.

Wooden Wand opened with an agreeably sleepy set of vaguely rustic folk-inspired songs driven by gentle electric guitar and drums.

rids · 09.07.2006, 10:35 PM

Does anybody know the setlist for Wooden Wand?

glofus · 10.18.2006, 04:41 PM

I was there! I loved the noise thing they did after TR.

guitarpro · 10.20.2006, 12:38 AM

Cool set list The World Looks Red rocks live

dazedcola · 10.22.2006, 01:51 PM

speaking of this show......where are the bootlegs from it? I want to hear it all over again, it was such a good show. Plus Lee signed my copy of Goo!

rids · 11.11.2006, 02:05 AM

Hey guys, sorry to bring up this old thread, buuuuut:

Does anyone know, or remember wooden wands set list from this show?? I am just dying to know so I can download of off iTunes. Thanks everyone!

09.06.2006, 11:30 AM	#41
Moshe Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 5,895	http://www.boston.com/news/globe/liv...+%2F+Arts+News Sonic Youth tones it down to great effect By Marc Hirsh, Globe Correspondent \| September 6, 2006 Let's take a moment to praise Sonic Youth's guitar techs. They may have the single hardest backstage job in the business, working as they do for a band whose every song requires a unique tuning. They don't just prepare the instruments (each one differently), they have actual guitar cues, for crying out loud, making sure that the right one gets into the right hands at the right time. Were it not for them, Sonic Youth might not be the great live band it is. At the very least, if Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore were themselves responsible for making quick changeovers to the correct guitars, they'd be a lot more frazzled. At Avalon Sunday, Sonic Youth laid down the bulk of the strong new disc ``Rather Ripped " alongside a handful of older numbers. In doing so, the band avoided much of the noise and squall that has become synonymous with its name over the past 25 years. Sure, Moore and Ranaldo went at their guitars with drumsticks, EBows, screwdrivers, and other guitars. But such experimentalism is, ironically enough, a standard part of their performance tool kit by now, as is bassist Kim Gordon's dancing and spinning with abandon as the music reaches freakout intensity. (Pavement's Mark Ibold picked up the slack with a second bass.) This time around, Sonic Youth was mostly just a band playing songs, and it was a guise that suited it well. ``Teen Age Riot " and ``Incinerate " were propelled by rolling guitar lines and leaping, ecstatic riffs, and Moore's half-whispered vocals atop Steve Shelley's hyperactive heartbeat drums gave ``Or" a celestial sparseness. Best of all was the almost indescribably gorgeous ``Do You Believe In Rapture? ," built on pinging, churchlike harmonics. It was a less assaultive take on the band's quest for new sounds, and if the lack of pure noise meant that Sonic Youth didn't ripple, it could still glide. Wooden Wand opened with an agreeably sleepy set of vaguely rustic folk-inspired songs driven by gentle electric guitar and drums.
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09.07.2006, 10:35 PM	#42
rids empty page Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 8	Does anybody know the setlist for Wooden Wand?
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10.18.2006, 04:41 PM	#43
glofus empty page Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 6	I was there! I loved the noise thing they did after TR.
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10.20.2006, 12:38 AM	#44
guitarpro 100% Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 789	Cool set list The World Looks Red rocks live __________________ A hundred dollars used to be more than enough and now a hundred times a day and still it's not enough
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10.22.2006, 01:51 PM	#45
dazedcola the end of the ugly Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,075	speaking of this show......where are the bootlegs from it? I want to hear it all over again, it was such a good show. Plus Lee signed my copy of Goo! __________________ "I said I didnt mean to take up all your sweet time Ill give it right back one of these days If I dont meet you no more in this world then uh Ill meet ya on the next one And dont be late " -Jimi Hendrix ...And me just another dream theory, lost inside your eye "when my mind's uncertain my body decides what it will do to get through the hell of the night as I trip on the ocean that leads through your eyes well my eyes can't wait til they finally see through you"
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11.11.2006, 02:05 AM	#46
rids empty page Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 8	Hey guys, sorry to bring up this old thread, buuuuut: Does anyone know, or remember wooden wands set list from this show?? I am just dying to know so I can download of off iTunes. Thanks everyone!
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