Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2010 > July > 20 > Entry
Live review: Silversun Pickups at Stubb’s
Here’s what I want:
I want to see Brian Aubert exhausted and on his back, coaxing ungodly but beautiful fuzz from his guitar for several minutes before jumping back upright and going Riverdance on an array of effects pedals roughly the size of a tractor trailer.
I want to have Nikki Monninger pulverize my gall bladder out of existence with bass rumbles that summon whales onto land and cause them to beach themselves.
I want to hear Silversun Pickups take a straightforward pop song - let’s say Big Star’s “Watch The Sunrise” since we’re all in that mood with Andy Hummel’s passing - and turn it inside out over the course of 10 or so feedback-drenched minutes.
I want Joe Lester to get his Bernie Worrell on, and have a chance to shine behind the keys instead of playing the able and competent second melodic banana.
Most of all, I want them to dig for minutes at a time into the bright and dark corners of the cavernous-but-claustrophobic rock songs they’ve crafted over two promising albums.
They could do all of that, no problem. Over and over again on Monday night at Stubb’s the Silverlake, CA quartet gave the sold-out crowd glimpses and peaks at the tremendous potential the members have between them.
Trouble is, to unlock those possibilities you’re gonna have to give them about two hours and change to truly stretch out, not the 75 or so minutes they were afforded Monday (after perfectly worthy-to-great opening sets by Henry Clay People and Against Me!) thanks to the regrettable noise curfew that cuts off music at Stubb’s at 10:30 p.m. on weeknights.
Give them credit, though. The four made do and fit 13 hooky as hell buzzbombs into the time they were given, packing in an extra solo here and there but pretty much sticking to the script and getting lots of love from the roaring crowd in return, especially after modern rock radio hits such as “Royal We” or the first set closing combo of “Panic Switch” and “Lazy Eye.”
After a brief break (since the clock was ticking) Aubert led the band back out and thanked the crowd before lamenting that they’d play all night but the curfew was hanging over the venue like a hammer.
With that, it was onto stretched-out versions of “Substitution” and “Common Reactor” - dressed up with strobing lights and Aubert’s atmospheric and distorted vocals - that made clear exactly how much we were missing out on.
What was there was great. What was missing could’ve been a revelation.
Follow Austin Music Source on Facebook and Twitter.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Reviews
Comments
When commenting, we ask that you keep things civil and abide by our Visitor Agreement. To report comment abuse, click here.
By Dave
July 20, 2010 5:10 PM | Link to this
I wanted to see something dangerous and i ended up seeing the Gin Blossoms. Whitest crowd ever, you couldn’t get arrested carrying an Uzi. I’m a big Siversun’s fan and left thinking I should give my albums to my 13 year old niece.
I need my art to have an edge and i just didn’t feel it.