I went to the Sonic Youth concert on friday night which is unusual because I've always been a "homebody". The concert was free (I did have to pay for the metrolink ride there) It was part of the Budweiser Live on The Levee series and played on stage under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. I'm not a big fan of Sonic Youth although I do know some of their songs and I think their biggest influence/ audience is pot smokers. Anyway, I decided to go and listen to them. I was glad to see several age groups there from the "old" people like myself to youngsters who probably never owned a 45 single (record). T Before the show started a guy approached the microphone and announced that there was a lost child needed to be found but as soon as he announced it she was found by the soundboard. He said to her that "she's just helping them get the sound for the band up to perfection." With the child found the show was going to start at 7:30 the band appeared at 7:45 but they are from the NYC area so being fashionable late is normal for them
. Thurston Moore founder and sometimes lead singer announced that "we are the sonic youth" after that they began playing. They recently released a new Cd an I believe they played alot of their new material from it. The band isn't the type to stop and say for our next song we will play etc they just play from one song into another.
Kim Gordon sang a song and I did see some people leave with a disgusted look on their face guess they were expecting a band like The Fray or maybe David Gray ? Overall, the crowd remained interested in the songs. I was kind of concerned about those standing in front of the stage they just did that stood there. Back in the day (I sound old) that area would have been moshing, crowd surfing or even pogoing I would have liked to at least see pogoing.During a break Moore asked if it was always this beautiful here (highs in the 80's low humidity) the crowd laughed because it usually isn't this pleasant in the middle of July. He said they(band) were thinking of relocating and wondered if there was any room in the arch for rent.
I wondered to myself about the ages of the members of the band. I know they started around 1980 with Moore and Gordon at least in their twenties and by now approaching or at their fifties. I checked up on their ages on Wikipedia. Thurston Moore is going to turn 51 next saturday and Kim Gordon who I guessed to be fifty is actually fifty six almost sixty years old. She didn't seem to be slowing down with her skills on the guitar or stage persona.
They played a solid show despite it being free and the fans not being hardcore Sonic Youth followers.
The one thing that I didn't like is at the end of their encore set their p.a. system was shut off and a song by Flyleaf started playing and the fireworks show started. I think those that planned this should have given them some extra time to finish and take a bow before blasting lame pop and fireworks.
Until next time.
GETOUTOFMYHEAD
Here is an added bonus some video I shot on my phone.