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This is the only picture we took that came out. We'll try harder next time.
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It was all Hallows Eve in the Windy City. While this usually means a liberal assortment of good shows, this year dedicated music fans were forced to choose between the flouncy French-Anglopop of Stereolab and the full-on Spectorian bombast of Spiritualized (and the kooky country of the Corn Sisters -- Ed.). Even the Splendid camp
was split; while a couple of my fellow writers were across town beeping and
bopping to the ‘Lab, I was in the sticky confines of Metro, waiting...and
waiting...and waiting some more.
The rumored start time of 9:30 p.m. came and went. It was blatantly obvious
to the sold out throng -- all of them eager to see Jason Pierce, pronto -- that in true
Spiritualized fashion, the show would start when it started -- that is, whenever
the band felt like coming on.
Finally, a few minutes after 10:00 o’clock, the house lights dimmed, the
pseudo-orchestral intro tape came to a hissing finale and Pierce and his
troops lumbered onto the stage. Thirteen members strong (rather than the rumored seventeen) and boasting a full complement of horns, percussion and other orchestral goodies, the group began to spirit up the hazy beginning of Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space’s
"Cop Shoot Cop", which eventually mutated into a caterwauling, eighteen minute
musical free-for-all, complete with gratuitous horn stabs and festering
heaps of distortion. This frenzied cacophony led straight into a
ravaged version of "Electricity", which in turn segued into the delicate
"Shine a Light". That's when the show careened off the rails, as the band launched into a delirious
rendition of "Electric Mainline", which seemed to be as cathartic for them
as it was for the audience.
By now, the group had hit their stride, and they pressed on, unveiling delicious readings of older tunes ("Take Good Care of It" and "Let it
Flow", from Pure Phase), as well as heavily psychedelicized versions
of songs from Let It Come Down ("On Fire"/ "Don’t
Just Do Something") -- even dipping into their vaults and dragging out "No God Only
Religion".
After a short break, the crowd was treated to a pair of encores, highlighted by a thunderous reading of "Come Together", which sounded
a hundred times more anthemic and awe-inspiring in its live
incarnation. As the band finally trooped
off the stage to vigorous applause, both they and the crowd knew they had
indeed been part of a transcendent experience, realizing a sound as grandiose as Pierce's broad musical vision. If nothing else, it sure as hell beat sitting at home and waiting for little brats to come to the door and ask
for candy.
Article and photo by Jason Jackowiak.
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