Stars of the Lid
Posted: July 1st, 2008, by OllieJust stumbled across these amazing snaps of an amazing gig I attended last month…
The gig was Texas/LA/Brussels duo Stars of the Lid at St. Giles-in-the-Fields church in London. Prior to this I was feeling pretty down on bands/live music in general, but I left the church on a cloud of delirium. Their set was like seeing your life flash before your eyes in the moment before you die, but stretched out over an hour and a half. Staggeringly beautiful.
What made the gig even more special was Lichens, the solo project of Rob Lowe of 90 Day Men. Real minimal vocal stuff with a bit of guitar that, over 30 minutes, whirled into a climax that left the whole crowd literally speechless as Lowe wandered down the center aisle and out of the door, still whispering his echoed mantra. Since this gig I haven’t been able to get enough of his recorded stuff, specifically Omns and The Psychic Nature of Being, both available from Kranky.
Opening the gig was the ever-wonderful James Blackshaw. He has a new album out on Tompkins Square which, if it’s half as good as the last one, will be a total belter. An incredible evening, and certainly the musical highlight of my year so far.
[Photos courtesy of Adrian Nettleship/Miles of Smiles]
Ollie
Ollie lives in Cambridge and puts on gigs as part of Crushing Death and Grief.
http://www.myspace.com/crushingdeathandgrief
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:04 am
Wow, wildly differing opininons alert. I saw both SOTL and Lichens at ATP recently and found them both painfully boring and lifeless… maybe an amazing setting would’ve helped? (Great photos)
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
Maybe not seeing them at a festival held in a shopping mall might have helped?
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:16 am
Pff, purist.