Guided By Voices,Seachange Live Review @ The Roadhouse (Manchester) - 29 Sep 2003

Guided By Voices,Seachange Live Review @ The Roadhouse (Manchester) - 29 Sep 2003

 

Live Review

All day long I had been hearing that there was going to be a dramatic event tonight, so naturally I saw that Seachange were opening for the underrated, prolific song writing, Robert Pollard fronted Guided By Voices and thought this must be it? It wasn't until the singer of support act enquired as to whether everyone had stayed in to watch Eastenders, that I realised I had the wrong event. This young Nottingham based sextet have stolen the rawest elements of New York garage rock, added a violin (with one song featuring a neat soothing Violin solo to ensure a tender moment amid the otherwise frantic set) and poetic lyrics. The closing song 'Killing Time' provided an impressive climax featuring neat lyrics, which render it dangerous just to pigeon hole Seachange as dirty garage rockers:

"Show me the stars and the meaning of life,

I just wanna feel my heart."

Not long after arriving on stage to as big a reception as the 200 plus Guided By Voices devotees could muster. Robert promised them it would be a long night, which was music to their ears. With around 32 full length albums and EPs (some solo stuff) the pre main event guessing game of what the opening track would be, seemed futile tonight. The winner was 'Red Ink Superman' from the 'Motel Of Fools' album, whereby the opening line if you replace the word she with he, sums up GBV:

"Now and then she serenades the system."

Robert Pollard has never been one to play the usual music business game of keeping the audience waiting, if he has material then he writes an album. Tonight drove home just how much material he has written, performing a two hour plus set featuring a range of songs from his solo career and GBV's many albums. This included classics such as 'Back To The Lake', 'The Things I Keep' and 'Teenage FBI' mixed in with new material such as 'Replace You With Machines' and 'Useless Inventions Satisfy Curious Minds'. The latter two were melodic foot tappers, and signify that the band is mellowing from the rawer sound of tracks from earlier albums.

The venue was sweaty and scorching as usual, something that was felt by GBV more than most bands during their elongated set. The drummer Jim Macpherson had to leave the stage in order to be physically sick. Midway through the set Robert would break from set list to sing a brief accapella version of songs shouted out by the crowd, which was a neat and welcomed touch. It was a memorable night for GBV connoisseurs. However, it remains a sad fact that the best thing this band hailing Dayton, Ohio will do in the eyes of most people is appear on an American version of the game show "Happy Families", with the Strokes in the video to 'Last Nite'.

David Adair

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