The Wedding Present’s David Gedge is the Guest Editor over at Magnet Magazine to coincide with the launch of the band’s latest tour, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of its legendary Bizarro album. I made the trek to Atlanta this past Wednesday night to see the album performed in its entirety. Gedge always makes a point of not playing encores, so the band played a pre-set of material ranging from tracks off its latest El Rey to George Best-era classics like “Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft” and even on to “Corduroy” off my personal favorite Wedding Present album, Sea Monsters. Gedge apologized for also playing two new songs, but they were nothing to scoff at, ably holding their own alongside such classics. The band sounded outstanding with its legendary lightspeed strumming in full force, which could have been helped along by a mix of my excitement and nostalgia, but the current line-up rivals any I’ve seen, even the one I had to watch through a window when I was 17 because I wasn’t old enough to enter the club (the name of which escapes me now). My friend Robert and I were turned away at the door for ageism that night in 1991, despite the fact that literally no one was there. Nashville wasn’t quite the hip metropolis it is now.
Some wise technophile had the wherewithal to record “Granadaland” at The Earl on Wednesday night, so you can bear witness to a small dose of what was a glorious evening of music:
The remaining Bizarro Anniversary US tour dates:
April 9 : Washington DC, USA – Black Cat with The Jet Age
April 10 : Hoboken NJ, USA – Maxwell’s with The Jet Age
April 11 : New York City NY, USA – Bowery Ballroom
April 12 : Cambridge MA, USA – Middle East Downstairs
April 14 : Toronto ON, Canada – Horseshoe Tavern
April 15 : Pontiac MI, USA – The Pike Room at The Crofoot
April 16 : Chicago IL, USA – Double Door
April 17 : Minneapolis MN, USA – 400 Bar
April 20 : Vancouver BC, Canada – To be confirmed
April 21 : Seattle WA, USA – Crocodile
April 22 : Portland OR, USA – Doug Fir Lounge
April 24 : San Francisco CA, USA – Independent
1 response so far ↓
1 K // Apr 10, 2010 at 12:20 pm
I love that story. I can just picture you looking through the window. The show last night in DC was great. And well attended! Last time I saw Gedge and company at the Black Cat (2006) there was a Belle & Sebastian/New Pornographers show at The 9:30 Club and the crowd was quite thin, though appreciative. He was also at the merch booth right after that show ended, which I’ve always respected and admired.