My Bloody Valentine: El Rey Theater, Los Angeles, CA, 16 April 2009
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"What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly" - Thomas Paine
I wish I could say that I had picked that line from Common Sense, but I remember hearing that quote from the movie Loser. It's still an astute statement. So let me tell you about many and varied attempts to catch My Bloody Valentine live in concert. Let's see if this quote holds true.
[For those that aren't interested in the details of my life, I will mark the beginning of the actual review for your benefit.]
The ordeal began, of course, shortly after falling in love with the album Loveless. The thought passed through my mind how awesome it would be to see them live, shortly followed by wondering how on earth they would ever be able to pull off that much sound. Then they opened for the Jesus and Mary Chain and blew people away to such an extent that word reached even my poor ears. However, I was living in Tucson, newly married and with a child on the way, and traveling to Phoenix for their show was not going to happen. Then they went into a super-long hiatus and I gave up on ever seeing them.
Then, a glimmer of hope. Last year, word spread of some shows in Europe, then the UK, then on the East and West Coasts. A few MOGgers, included trusted MOGger August, saw them and reported of their continued live prowess. Hope sprung anew.
Two months ago, the Coachella 2009 lineup was released. I was excited beyond belief to read that My Bloody Valentine had decided to continue their comeback tour with a stop at Coachella, only to realize to my horror that their set was scheduled for ... Sunday. Ugh. No, "Ugh" doesn't cover it. I was upset. I used every Mormon swear word I could find to decry the evils of the scheduling agents at Goldenvoice. Nevertheless, I stuck to my guns and bought myself only Friday and Saturday tickets for Coachella.
The Monday before Coachella, I got an alert from an angel of light (she also goes by the name Lizzie) that they were playing a "secret" show at the El Rey Theater, a smaller venue in Los Angeles the Thursday before Coachella. I quickly decided that I could sacrifice my food and T-shirt budget, and snapped up a ticket. Now I just had to get to LA in time for the show.
[I'm getting there, but not for a while. Fret not.]
I admit to three weaknesses now that will set the stage for the comedy of errors to follow. First, I try to do too much at times. Second, I'm a total n00b at flying; I can count the number of flights I've taken without using toes. Third, I'm really cheap, and did not have a huge budget for the trip to Coachella.
As Thursday morning rolls in, I go about my usual morning ritual of waking our boys, feeding them and sending them on their way to school. Once that has started, I start baking cookies, something I like to do when I see my friends. By 8:30, I have 40 delicious oatmeal cookies bagged and ready to go, and I run downstairs to finish some work before I leave. That doesn't wrap up until 10:30, at which point I grab a shower to get ready for my 11:30 flight. You astute fliers now see the problem. Sure enough, I don't arrive at the airport until 11:10, by which point my flight is closed, and I cannot check in my bags. Oh no! Panic ensues.
I have to put this in a separate paragraph: As soon as I realize I missed my flight, I text my friends to tell them what happened. The first response from all of them: "Oh no! Will you miss MBV?" I love my friends, they have their priorities straight. Back to the tale.
Wichita is a really, REALLY small airport. There are about a dozen flights in, a dozen flights out, every day. It's pathetic. My standby options, therefore, are very limited. My first option is to Chicago. Alas, there's not enough room, so I don't get that flight. Next, I get put on standby for a flight headed to St. Louis. Thing is, I'm not due to leave Wichita at this point until 3:30, and won't arrive in LA until 9:30, which pretty much means I'm going to miss the show.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" - Hebrews 11:1
I got a text before leaving Wichita from Mike Zeroskillz which struck me to the core. He said, "You can make it. I have faith!" Now, truly the Lord didn't really care that I made it to MBV, but then again maybe He did? I don't know that for sure, but I decided to remain hopeful and see the thing through. So I do get on the flight to St. Louis, and arrive at 4:45. To my delight, I find that there is a flight to LA that is due to leave in 15 minutes. I use all my charm to score a seat on the flight, but they do warn me that my luggage will not arrive with me. At the time, I was totally OK with that. So it's now 5:00 (we'll switch to Pacific Time now, so it was 3:00), and I'm on my way. I deplane in LAX and head out the doors at 7:15, after calling Amber to let her know that I have arrived, and set out to get to the show.
Here's where the cheap part comes in. There were plenty of taxis available to take me straight to the venue, but the taxi ride would cost me $50, so I decline. I take the cheap option, a $5 day pass on the LA public transportation system. Each stop on the train system seems like an eternity, and I have nothing to do but stare at the clock as it speeds by. By the time I get off the train it's now 9:15 and I'm still a few miles from the El Rey. Fortunately, the buses are still going, and after getting on the wrong bus once, I get to the venue at 9:45. No massive wall of sound is emanating from the El Rey's doors, so I made it on time! Whew!
What added to my relief and joy was Mike's surprise appearance. Unbeknownst to all of us, he had snapped up a ticket as well. That made me feel even better; what's the fun of seeing a great band without anyone with whom to share the experience? So we accept our free earplugs (always a good sign), admire the massive Marshall stacks, and worm our way to about ten rows (SQUEEEEEEEEE!) from the stage and tolerate an acoustic set from Kurt Healsey before the main event.
[Starting actual concert review ... now!]
My Bloody Valentine come out to little fanfare but much applause from the audience. Kevin looks a little lighter in the hair department, Debbie looks a bit thicker, and Bilinda ... dang! I don't care that she looks like a librarian (not my words, mind), she looked and sounded yummy! Was that too fanboy-ish? I can never tell! ;)
The band jump right in with two songs from Loveless, "I Only Said" and "When You Sleep". I realize very quickly, even though the earplugs, that all the sound from the album is there to be heard in the live setting; very little is missing. There is no dancing, no moshing, no meatheads pushing their way to the front, just a sea of people locked in and feeling the sound. It was incredible.
Someone in the audience actually starts yelling "LOUDER!" during a break, and it actually catchen Kevin as funny. It takes him a few seconds to stop giggling, but his comeback was priceless: "Wait." Oh goody goody!
To my delight, the set stretched across quite a bit of their catalogue; instead of just songs from Loveless, we're treated to songs from Isn't Anything, and their EP's as well.
At one point during the set, I took off my shoes, because they were killing my feet, and foolishly decide to pull out the earplugs, then drop one. I start madly searching the floor for it, then find it to my relief just as a flashlight appears above me. A security guard thought I was lighting up and decided to check me out. I think I should be offended. Heh. Mike's laughing his head off at this point.
My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is that I have no further insights about the lyrics from seeing hem live then I did after listening to their albums. It's a shame too, because during "Only Shallow" Bilinda looks to the point of tears, and I really wish I knew what she was singing. Sigh.
The set ends as it should, with the massive three-headed monster of "Soon" (which gets heads shaking, as close as we got to dancing), "Feed Me With Your Kiss", and the piece de resistance of "You Made Me Realise". The "holocaust" hit us so hard, I could feel my shirt shake from the sound alone. I got the biggest adrenaline rush as I fought with myself to stay rooted to the spot. Mike was less impressed, complaining later that he couldn't close his mouth because his teeth were chattering so much. After about 10 minutes, they finished the song, thanked the crowd, and left. No fuss, no muss, no encore.
Afterward, Mike and I walked for a while, realized we had far too long of a walk for either of us, hailed a taxi, and found Blair at a dive bar in Hollywood that played old-school punk. It was so refreshing I wanted to stick around, but decided that watching people drink wasn't for me, so I walked to our hotel and crashed.
Was seeing My Bloody Valentine worth all the hassle? Absolutely! I'd do the whole thing again in a hot second, and it made for the perfect start to a marvelous weekend of music and friends. I'll share more from Coachella itself later, but now I sleep.
The setlist:
01 - I Only Said
02 - When You Sleep
03 - You Never Should
04 - (When You Wake) You're Still In A Dream
05 - Cigarette In Your Bed
06 - Come In Alone
07 - Only Shallow
08 - Thorn
09 - Nothing Much To Lose
10 - To Here Knows When
11 - Slow
12 - Soon
13 - Feed Me With Your Kiss
14 - You Made Me Realise
Locating MOG account...
Comments (29)
Ha! I'm allowed to "mog it up" to my own posts. I feel so narcissistic right now. ;)
ok, jelous... Tom saw them in London last year... he said the earth moved... & i'm going to miss them DAMNIT!!!!
Still wish you could've experienced them in the desert at Coachella. I can't tell you how epic it was to listen to them whilst lying in the polo field staring up at the stars w/the flood lights moving about the sky as well as the lights from their stage show. Ah-mazing & magical to let the music flow over me, making me feel so connected to the universe.
Excellent review, thanks for putting it in writing. Thanks too for the warning of when the review actually started.
Dale - I love this post - especially the pre concert preparation , travel , cookie baking and hooking up with friends to see MBV. And your 2 quotes ..so eloquent and true.
I'm not an MBV fan ..but completely identify with the 'have to be there' and will do anything to get there sentiments.
Thanks for starting my day with a smile.
Michael, the earth didn't move alone, but the very air molecules were in constant motion. I couldn't breathe for a while there, it was so intense.
August, that would have been incredible, and heaven knows I could have just sat outside the timeshare and heard most of it. The intimite club setting was the way I would have preferred to see them, so I'm happy I did. Glad you enjoyed their Sunday set.
Debi, thanks for that. I do enjoy making people smile. :)
That is a classic Dale..After all you went though and the giddiness you got from making it and your fanboyness, you still come back with an excellent piece on the show..with details!
Kudos..glad you made it.
Back in the day I was at First Avenue (or was it Cabaret Metro-see I miss your clarity already) for Dino Jr and MBV..easily the loudest show I'd ever seen.
Man, way to hang in there and get the goods, thanks for posting.
I really could have done without Holocaust. It was an impressive amount of noise, but it lacked the beauty of the other songs. It was pretty hilarious to see the security guard trying to bust you for smoking pot. :) Glad I could be there. Didn't want to leave a brother hanging.
Ahhhh Dalebro - it was my truest & biggest pleasure finding out MBV would be playing (& is it wrong to say just for you) on Thursday night... I was brokenhearted when I thought you'd miss it & then back to THRILLED when you made it there with room to spare... Mike joining you as a surprise was icing on my Coachella cake !!!
Just adore you & this post... :::bigsquooshyhugs::: all around !!!
Excellent review. Sounds like the trip to the show was just as riveting as the performance. Felt like I was there (minus about 150 decibles (sp?)
On that note, was it really as loud w/ earplugs as one would fear?
Fantastic review - another tick on the 'Things to do before I die' list for you.....
Nice!
@Eric5776... I saw them sunday at Coachella so I can't speak for the El Rey (indoor small venue) - but I can say that at the outdoor show, the volume, EVEN w/earplugs was MONSTROUS !!!!
I read somewhere that their soundguy unofficially clocked them in on this touras the loudest show ever (compared to loudness on record)...by a lot!
Cody, thanks man! Seeing them with Dino Jr. would have been quite a rush. I can only credit the details with my sobriety. ;)
mullytron, glad you enjoyed.
Mike, I was SO glad you made it. I was going to go to the show (obviously), but seeing it with someone else made it even sweeter. Sorry about your teeth rattling, guess I should have warned you. :)
Lizzie, I wasn't joking when I said you were an angel of light to let me know about this show. While I would have loved to have spent some time with everyone on Thursday, if I had found out later that they had played that close by it would have been a double kick in the teeth. So see, you not only got me to the show, you saved me from a double kick in the teeth. ;)
Eric, yeah, it was THAT loud. In fact, it's loud enough that the fight or flight instinct starts to take over. People were bailing out of the front row, even with earplugs, because of the sheer volume.
Neill, that was a HUGE mark off the list. Now the top spot belongs to New Order, but they're broken up. Who knows, maybe not forever? :)
:::coyly::: Did I mention that New Order played the 2006 Electric Picnic that I was at... I didn't - silly me :)
(an angel of light)... I like that, hope after this comment I get to keep it ;)
Oh, I've missed my fair share of opportunities to see New Order, starting with the awesome Echo/NO/GLJ show in Phoenix for which I could not score tickets. Gaah!
That was in 1987 too. Seriously, I should go send the 1987 version of me $40 to go to that show; I even knew a friend that went. ::sniff::
Haha, STL Lambert Int'l saves (Dale's) day!! And may i just say that you are one of the coolest dads ever, not only for being an EMCD but for making cookies for other people too?
Sounds like a brilliant show. I've given up on ever seeing MBV, but hope remains!!
Yeah, Lambert totally saved the day; I realized later that if I had gone to Chicago, I most likely would have missed the show.
The cookies went down a treat as well. Ask Andrea (gympumpkin); she went all Bilbo Baggins when I pulled out the bag of cookies. PRECIOUS! Eeep!
We were all so, so psyched when you called and said you were in LA in time. We were all pulling for you :)
Yup, you guys totally had your priorities right. I knew I picked the right friends. :)
I was so so happy to be able to get my fix on for this band when they released one of their songs for download via Rock Band. Not the same as seeing them in concert, but it ranks right up there feeling like you are playing lead guitar
That would be pretty awesome; too bad we have a PS2, which doesn't do downloadable content, though.
It's wonderful to hear you were able to make it on time!! I've been fortunate to catch MBV twice in sept/oct, so I missed the el rey show, and opted for the Cure and MBV @ Coachella
You were there?!? I wish I had known that, I would have liked to meet you!
oh, Dale... i took my time to read this post to really savor it. i am very happy your first time to see MBV happened the way it did--it is now entirely unforgettable, beyond the fact that it came true. yay to MOG friends, huh? loved the actual review as well.
It makes me happy to know that you devoted some time to my post, Ilay. Heaven knows your free Internet time is limited.
It's true what you say: I get by with a little help from my (MOG-)friends.
DALE! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!
Wait wait.... you took off your shoes while being at the show of the biggest shoegazing band ever? ahahahhahaha LOVE IT!
And even though I'm sure that Coachella scenery was great, I'm extra pleased that you got to see them in a closed venue. Sound-wise, this type of band shines even more in a closed venue.
xxx
I'M HAPPY FOR ME TOO! :)
I know, I'm perverse like that, but they're small and the blister on my toe was killing me. Any other show, and I wouldn't have done it for fear of having my feet crushed.
I agree on the venue, but those that saw them Sunday said they were fantastic and really LOUD there as well. Oh well.
AND I just saw this week that they're playing All Points West festival, on Saturday of course. I'm telling ya, the Coachella organizers don't like me. :(