Currently on repeat: Shellac‘s Saturday set from All Tomorrow’s Parties on CD courtesy of Rob Strong. And how good is this? It’s rare to be able to hang on to special events in your life, too often you don’t even have a photograph or a scrap of paper to remember things by. But here I am, Saturday afternoon at ATP, squashed into the photo pit for Shellac’s set, the act of photography taking second place to the chance of watching the performance from such a privileged viewpoint. After a bit of photographer musical chairs I ended up with prime position, right at Steve Albini’s feet. I could see everything and completely connect the movements to the noise: the way Albini steps back and forwards, back and across and forwards, the way he would just brush the strings of his guitar. The utter metallicness of all their equipment. Basically I was in awe. The most affecting part was Mama Gina without a doubt. I was affected to the very depths of my heart by this song live. It’s such open honest emotion. And I’m taken back there instantly hearing it play back on the CD. And being able to hear them jumping on the stage in The Watch Song. The sort of thing that would be lost in the fug of a homemade bootleg. I shall treasure this CD as I treasure that experience.

And just to top things off the CD also has the Trail of Dead session on John Peel where he reads out an email from the TODlist and says I have a nice name. Awwww.

Posted: 05|11|02 at 8:25 pm. Filed under: live reviews.
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