Now that I??ve had a few hours to let this marinate in my mind, a few additional thoughts. I??ll reiterate that the show didn??t have a ??reunion? feel to it, it just seemed like a gig. I guess the biggest difference was that there wasn??t a feeling of nostalgia, that was probably due to the immediacy of the new songs, and soundness of the performance of the old songs with the same subtle changes in a live setting that has always been apart of SP gigs.
Another thing that has occurred to me is that this also doesn??t seem like a crass cash grab, the fact that they are planning smaller shows (3K or less in Europe) and the residencies (I paid less for a ticket to Asheville than the surcharges on most festival tickets) in the US along with the festival appearances shows at least to me that they are trying hone their chops and kind of get a real band vibe going before playing arenas, etc. Just by a way of contrast, the Pixies endless reunion while great never rose above their past, which if you were there in the past wasn??t all that illustrious. They kind of took advantage of the fondness of the old fans, and the feeling of missing something of the younger newer fans. I was apart of the problem in the sense that I went to at least a dozen of those shows and was at another half dozen of the festival appearances, and the set list varied little over the 2 years of touring they did. This isn??t a criticism as much as a comparison, the Pixies made a lot of people happy and they sounded great. I have the feeling that SP on the other hand isn??t (specifically Billy doesn??t want to) merely rest of past accomplishments, make a bunch of cash, and bug off again.
Now the shrewdness of the whole come back effort has to be applauded albeit a very cynical enterprise. Announcing 2 years in advance ??they? are coming back, keeping everything shrouded in secrecy as to who was in the band and not releasing any new material until the last minute, has whipped everyone into a frenzy, a very 2007 viral campaign. I think Billy has spent a long time reviewing the BUSINESS of rock and roll and I think he??s calculated this all very carefully, and I also think he??s looking at this from a fan??s perspective and how he would want one of his favorite bands to comeback.
I could be naïve, or merely hopeful. But based on the energy of the playing last night, this is not going to be a joke. They were one of the biggest bands in the world, but the world has changed since 2000. But I think it could happen again, you can??t fake this shit either you??re good or your not. They are fucking good.
I??m not one of the those in denial about Silversun Pickups sounding like old SP and that is certainly the reason why I like them so much because I??ve been starved for the genuine article. The real thing is back, and you can try and be a purist and say without Darcy and James it??s NOT the real thing. I can only say this, listen to the music, whoever the fuck is playing it you get the same feeling, that??s the only litmus test I can follow, and I got the same feeling.
Alright I??m done.
