I made it up to NYC for a boys' weekend, as most of my best friends from college reside in Manhattan. Seeing Chavez, who have blown my mind for years, was the motivating force for this (as if one needs a huge motivation for a weekend in the city). I first saw Chavez open for Silkworm in 1994 at the now defunct Columbia, SC, spot Annie's, and they absolutely killed. I saw them many more times in the 90's including opening for Guided by Voices on the Alien Lanes tour in Atlanta, GA, and headling Cat's Cradle when they were touring Ride the Fader. I even made it up to Brooklyn to see them at the also defunct Warsaw in 2006 for an incredible reunion show. Needless to say, I was pumped.
I flew into LaGuardia and took the M60 in, which my friends think is crazy. We all met up and grabbed dinner at Mexican Radio before heading to Bowery Ballroom for the show (which, oddly, I had never been to before). I was feeling pretty good about things when I saw Kim Gordon and J. Mascis just hanging at the bar having drinks.
While I wanted to check out Endless Boogie opening the show, I was too busy catching up friends to tear myself away. Believe me when I tell you that we were upstairs and ready when Chavez took the stage and proceeded to blast through all of Gone Glimmering, most of Ride the Fader and absolutely killed their first single, "Repeat the Ending." These songs are Emerson, Lake and Palmer levels of complex, and they just killed them song after song. I was blown away, I got drunk and I wanted to talk to some of my indie rock heroes but (thankfully) thought better of it. (Great writeup of this on Brooklyn Vegan with videos, too.)
Nailed to the Blank Spot
You Must Be Stopped
Break Up Your Band
Laugh Track
You Faded
New Room
Unreal Is Here
Tight Around the Jaws
Peeled Out Too Late
The Ghost By The Sea
Pentagram Ring
"Untitled/New Jam"
Wakeman's Air
Our Boys Will Shine Tonight
The Flaming Gong
Relaxed Fit
Encore:
Top Pocket Man
Repeat the Ending
The next morning was painful, but we did manage to grab some awesome food at Katz's, watch the already historic Chelsea-Bayern Munich soccer match and end the evening with a bevy of good beers at Jimmy's No. 43. I was sad to leave Sunday but needed to give my liver a timeout.
This will be another tough show to beat for 2012 and is certainly a top 3 so far.
1 comment:
That show at the Warsaw is still one of the best things I've ever seen.
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