This was the first half of this week's East coast/West coast reunion throwdown at Dingwalls which presented - on successive nights - re-union shows from East coast legend Come and West coast legends The Dream Syndicate. The fact that at one point Come also performed as Dream Syndicate main man Steve Wynn's backing band only added to the excitement some of us felt about these two shows being back to back at Dingwalls: a venue both bands have played before back in the day. Thanks to the good folks at Damnably.com for putting this show on.
The main support tonight were SLOWGUN: a very shy band who seemed to have trouble talking to us between songs that were about old men and wanting to Save Us all. The latter had nice chiming guitars on it. The nervousness the singer was suffering from made her seem like a very young Tanita Tikaram; almost afraid to talk to us let alone look at us too much as she seemed to want to be the Little Fly On The Wall she was singing about. But at least they sound nothing like Tanita Tikaram.
This nervousness couldn't have been helped if she saw that Thurston Moore was standing near the front next to me for a good part of the set. Steven was, for me, the best song of the set and no it isn't the Gene Loves Jezebel song, but one of the band's own that had plenty of atmosphere and a well-observed 'pain of the relationship not quite going as it should have' vibe. Not a bad set but in a week like this one not one I remember too much about. However, I think Slowgun will be worth catching again in a little while once they are more comfortable on stage.
Soon it's time to welcome COME back to a packed Dingwalls. I know I've seen several people who were there the last time I saw them play. They are back to celebrate the re-issue of the band's debut album Eleven: Eleven in a 2 CD special edition on the Glitterhouse label. See Glitterhouse Records online for more.
Right from the start they sound just like they used to first time around and have the original line-up which certainly helps as the first song is a good slow building monster just waiting for Chris Brokaw's guitar to go wild on it, which of course it does. Then they go straight into the second song and Thalia Zedek's voice is just the same dark tone that makes her singing about how the stars shine seem so foreboding.
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Sad Eyes is just wonderfully dark and nasty and just builds and builds as Thalia and Chris' guitars intertwine and evoke the dark twisted lyrics. Submerge sees them plumbing the depths, sinking slowly and the way Sean O'Brien's bass seems to get ever deeper as the song goes on is brilliant. Fast Piss Blues was always a live highlight and tonight is no exception with Arthur Johnson's drumming propelling them slowly towards the inevitably hurricane of noise they are whipping up.
Last Mistake is nothing of the sort; just another classic slow core song that they nail perfectly. No matter how much Chris and Thalia seem to be competing for who has the grumpiest look while playing guitar everyone in the audience is smiling. That's followed I think by something off of Don't Ask Don't Tell but I may be wrong. Either way I'm lost in this brilliant show; the music just gets better as they sound so tight, no doubt that Brand New Vein (that I think closes the set) is one of the highlights. It's such a dark and grotesquely twisted song.
They came back for an encore and seemed genuinely surprised by the reaction to the set they've played. They shouldn't be. I have no idea what my notes claim they encored with but it was just as great as the rest of the set and I have to say if this re-union comes anywhere near you then you have to see them as they are back and sounding just as great live as they ever have.
Damn they have thrown down one mighty challenge in this reunion showdown and have shown that the East Coast knows how to bring the noise. Over to you, Mr. Wynn.
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