Matador Records 10^th Anniversary – September 25^th.

I was lucky enough to get to the show on Friday, September 24 to catch what some people have been suggesting might just have been Pavements last New York City performance. With the longevity of the band always in question as its members continue to relocate in different states, this was not a show to miss, and the indie superstars didn’t let the crowd, who was no doubt there mainly for the headlining act, go home disappointed.

I got to the show late, missing the first three acts, Guitar Wolf, The Lynfield Pioneers, and Chavez, who are a fantastic live band. I did make it in time for Cat Power. Word of her irratic performance habits are everywhere so when Chan took the stage for her 25 minute set, Irving plaza fell quiet. Fortunately she made it through her set without a stumble, and even looked up from her usual hair shield to ask the audience if they were having a good time. Maybe for the first time ever, she was too.

Pavement took to the stage shortly thereafter in what appeared to be high spirits. Mark Ibold had been mingling in the crowd during the opening acts, and the others seemed to have been having as good a time. They opened the show with "Here" and followed it with "Trigger Cut" both from S & S, appeasing the crowd with some old numbers before heading into "The Hexx" from their newest Terror Twilight. Pavement have always been known to have their rocky moments, and tonight they were from a particularly giddy and hyper Malkmus’ vocals as he stuggled to find the notes early on. That behind him, SM began his trademark verse altering games, throwing in phrases about cocktails (of which I think he’d had a few) and "smoking the last quarter randomly." Mistakes were overlooked and replaced with dance moves (go figure) and jumping as through "Stereo", and fantastic versions of "We Dance" "Range Life" and "Billy". Even the guitar playing tonight lacked the slack quality it sometimes can take on at a Pavement show.

The set was marked by some long breaks between songs, but Bob was fortunately there to fill in the gaps with some jokes as SM and Ibold seemed to have to confer about the songs. All was forgiven when it was explained that they were pulling some stuff out that they hadn’t played since their tour in 1997. This was what the audience there on Friday wanted to see. Their last appearance in June in NYC was predominantly devoted to the new record, but this was an altogether different situation. It was Matador’s 10, and it was celebrated in grand style with a steady stream of older numbers like "Zurich is Stained, " Grave Architecture," "Unfair, " with Stairs taking the lead for "Kennel District," and a cover of Echo and the Bunnymen’s "Killing Moon" in the encore set.

If that was the last one, I was lucky to be there. It was a great show. And I’d hate to see them call it quits.

Happy Birthday Matador!!

In other stuff going on recently…

I think everyone I have ever known turned out at the Rye Coalition/Knodel/Trans-Am show on Saturday, Sept 25 at Maxwells, that is if they werent at the final night of the Matador fest to see Yo La Tengo! Hey to everyone who was there!! Trans-Am have never been my thing really, but the were very tight, and a good time was definitely had by all.