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Posted by TheFullCleveland on 2008-10-01 20:41:05 +0000

Bob Pollard/Boston Spaceships Apreesh

My college friend Jeff introduced me to Guided by Voices when we were roommates. I didn't listen to much of them, but could always hear the GbV sound wafting through our apartment. Mostly, I got a kick out of how much Jeff was obsessed with the music, and how he told the story of Bob Pollard, elementary school teacher turned indie rock god, scorned and rejected by his family for his career change. Sadly, I never saw GbV live, and then after college they nearly totally fell off the radar for me. Now that I'm in my time of revisting ye olde college hits, it's perfect timing that Bob was in town last night with his band Boston Spaceships. What a treat! The best show I've ever been to. Otherworldly. It was like a huge musical lovefest, and the band was totally on and into it. Even after the house lights came up, BS came out for a second encore. Crowd surfing ensued...for about 5 seconds, until security put a quick end to it. But it was a small, worthwhile victory for the 90s-oriented, pogo-dancing audience, anyway. The guy is 51, and he can high-kick, twirl a mic, strike a pose, and swill liquor and beer onstage like no one's business - it's really very astounding. They finished the night with a string of GbV classics, and the diminished crowd (some people actually did leave when the house lights came up) exploded. When they played one of the two GbV songs I know so well, tears were shed. Absolutely amazing!

Posted by mahatma chani on 2008-10-02 11:10:04 +0000
Saw GBV eight times. Levelling, punishing, impressive career-spanning sets. Maybe if I'm inspired I'll post "Alien Lanes" up here. They won't let me embed it, so just click here and see the classic lineup set phasers on "kill."

Posted by TheFullCleveland on 2008-10-02 12:06:42 +0000
Nice! That's a killer sweater, too.

Posted by mahatma chani on 2008-10-02 12:59:33 +0000
Record is here. Released April 4, 1995 on Matador Records. It didn't chart well.

Posted by Miriam on 2008-10-02 20:58:07 +0000
Will definitely put them on my short list for October shows in Nashville!

Posted by Miriam on 2008-10-02 20:59:04 +0000
L: Just realized the 18th is my neice's bat mitzvah and I will be excommunicated from the family if I miss the party. Will have to catch them next time!

Posted by pamsterdam on 2008-10-03 02:38:53 +0000
It'd be worth it... :o)

Posted by pamsterdam on 2008-10-03 02:48:03 +0000
Bob Pollard is one of the greatest alcoholic lyrical geniuses of our time, perhaps of all time. And damn, the man can dance. It's funny going back and listening to GbV so much lately - I was really into them my last 2 years of college, when I was in love for the first time and spending a lot of time driving around Georgia & Virginia with a bunch of theater nerds. If I close my eyes during certain songs, I can almost see the kudzu, smell the Mister Pibb, and taste the heartache. At the same time, the songs are so perfect, so classic - still so relevant. I'm jealous, TFC. I'd have loved to have made some new memories with my man Uncle Bobby. I mean that perfectly platonically, of course.

Posted by TheFullCleveland on 2008-10-03 17:13:39 +0000
Next time he's in town, we'll go!

Posted by TheFullCleveland on 2008-10-13 15:26:15 +0000
Thanks, dude, got it.

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