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Review: Swervedriver at Emo’s
Swervedriver’s reunion tour motored at high speed through Emo’s main room Tuesday with all of its musical pistons and heady, head-spinning guitar effects pedals firing in perfect sync.
Despite nearly a decade away from a music scene now turned on its head by MySpace band profiles and digital downloads, Swervedriver has launched an extensive summer tour and joined the ranks of fellow 1990s shoegaze bands the Verve and My Bloody Valentine, all of whom are cashing in on reunion fever. Fresh off a Coachella Festival appearance, Swervedriver is (unfortunately) not supporting a new album, touring solely on the legacy of their highly influential catalog of tunes, a four-album-strong rock ‘n’ roll juggernaut.
Awash in guitar effects pedals, relationship fodder and automotive acceleration imagery, Swervedriver’s four full-length albums have become a touchstone of the shoegaze/noise-pop genre they helped define. (“Shoegaze” became shorthand for a number of primarily British bands whose members looked down at their shoes during performances as they creatively mashed effects pedals with their feet.)
An Emo’s audience that appeared to number more than 400 souls shouted, cheered and sang along to the subtly poetic verses of the Oxford, England, band that you probably haven’t heard (Radiohead being the one that you have). Swervedriver - guitarist/vocalist Adam Franklin, guitarist Jimmy Hartridge, bassist Steve George and drummer Jez Hindmarsh - dug out nuggets from their Dinosaur Jr. and Stooges-influenced debut album “Raise,” their inventive masterwork “Mezcal Head,” the American-power-pop-meets-British-‘60s-rock “Ejector Seat Reservation” and their exquisitely crafted coda, “99th Dream.”
Playing a beautifully battered vintage Fender Jaguar through a Matchless amplifier, Swervdriver frontman Franklin pulverized eardrums with a punishing volume clearly meant for guitar aficionados and the tinnitus-afflicted lovers of knobs that go to 11. Franklin and guitarist Hartridge’s back and forth melodic interplay was a guitar lesson worth the price of admission. The audience was peppered with many Austin musicians who appeared to study the playing techniques of all four Swervedriver players as if they were attending a master class.
Swervedriver frontman Franklin has one of the best poker faces around, but he clearly enjoyed whipping his diehard fans into a frenzy with the seductive blasts of “Deep Seat” and white-noise wah-pedal and distortion-screech of “Son of Mustang Ford.” Franklin even dropped his vocals on the last verse of the band’s show-stopping coup de grace, “Rave Down,” as he appeared overwhelmed by the audience’s adoration as they sang his poetic lyrics back at him.
Hindmarsh’s drumming was tighter and more bombastic than before the band’s hiatus. Meanwhile, George’s bass E-string (often tuned down to D) blasted the wax right out of the audience’s ears when it rattled and boomed during “99th Dream,” “ Last Train to Satansville” and “Duress.” Hartridge’s rhythm guitar playing and occasional leads created more by playing less, leaving plenty of room for Franklin to paint sonic scapes with his Boss and Electro-Harmonix pedals as well with the clever use of his Vox wah.
And their tone: Voluminous melody and harmony took center stage, fueling pop songs that kaleidescoped in on themselves with a rotation of alternate guitar tunings. The songs were drenched in a fury of sonic colors: distortion, tremolo, reverb, echo, Digitech Whammy, Electro Harmonix fuzz, analog delay and warm, glowing-tube overdriven sheen. All the while Franklin sang poems about car crashes and love gone wrong with the measured detail of a J.G. Ballard novel. Diehard Swervedriver fans appeared to appreciate the thrill of seeing their favorite band in an intimate setting while gnashing their teeth on the irony that in a perfect world, Swervedriver’s popularity might eclipse that of less innovative bands such as Oasis and Blur as well as rival that other highly creative guitar-based rock band from Oxford.
Setlist:
Sunset
Birds
Feel So Real
Never Lose That Feeling
The Other Jesus
Last Train To Satansville
Deep Seat
Sandblasted
Wrong Treats
These Times
Duel
99th Dream
You Find It Everywhere
Juggernaut Rides
Rave Down
Kill the Superheroes
Encore
Son of Mustang Ford
Duress
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Permalink | Comments (6) | Categories: In The Clubs, Music, Reviews
Comments
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By guest
June 4, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
nice article…just a couple of trivial corrections. franklin was playing jazzmasters; and he stopped singing on “rave down” because some goof in the front, geeking out on the song, bumped the mic, which subsequently hit franklin in the face. nice way to impress yr idol, huh?
By Mike
June 4, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this
They didn’t play “Feel So Real” and “You Find It Everywhere”. “Sandblasted” was moved to the 3rd slot instead of “Feel So Real”. Everything else is correct.
By V. M. Black
June 5, 2008 6:21 PM | Link to this
I checked my chickenscratch notes and yep, “Sandblasted” should indeed be where “Feel So Real” is listed. And “You Find It…” should be pulled out. Good catch, thanks!
By V. M. Black
June 5, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this
And “guest”:
Also a good catch. Apparently Fender made both the Jaguar and it’s predecessor the Jazzmaster in 1962, but a closer inspection reveals Franklin’s guitar to be one of the ‘62 shorter-necked Jazzmasters.
Thanks!
By Bret
June 6, 2008 1:20 AM | Link to this
The band switched guitars several times throughout their set when they played L.A., now I know what all their instruments, pedals and amps were as well as a different set list than what we all heard. I wish I could see more shows to catch all the different songs. Thanks for the review! Bret myspace.com/swervedriver
By Lil ed
June 6, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this
I was down the front and still have whiplash from ‘eadbanging to RAVE DOWN, goodtimes! I recorded the show as well, look for it on Dime a dozen torrent site as well as other shows from the tour. Overall the night was like stepping into a time machine.