Summerholidays vs Punkroutine

I remember when I first heard At The Drive-in, I must have been about 15 because I was living a few miles outside of Baltimore at the time. I was a big fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Placebo back then, and even though they were musically very different, both Flea and Brian Molko listed Relationship of Command as their record of the year in 2000. So I thought there must be something going on there for both of them to recommend it and so I picked up a copy – and to be absolutely honest it took me a little while to get into it. But, as so many great records do it grew and grew on me, and by a couple of months later I had picked up the back catalogue at the local Record and Tape Traders.

anyway, it was a real disappointment when they split up, but I went straight out and got the Tremulant EP by the Mars Volta and Austere EP by Sparta and was pretty impressed with both. I think at first I dug Sparta a little more because it was a closer to the ATDI sound, but by the time the first albums came out I was into the Mars Volta in a big way and managed to catch them at their first UK show in a tiny pub in Bristol in 2003.

Never thought that at the drive-in would get back together, and never thought I would be in Japan to see it.

Refused was a different story…to be honest I actually cannot remember how or where I first heard them, but I am pretty sure this was also when I was in the US. The Shape of Punk to Come was and is a superb record from start to finish, and by the time I was really into the band they must have already broken up because I remember hearing some (International) Noise Conspiracy not long after. I managed to catch the (I)NC at Reading festival in 2004, and then again in the small room at the Leeds Cockpit in about 2005, where Dennis Lyxzen climbed on top of everything and tore the stage up like all hell. And they were great and I enjoyed their records, but somehow it never quite came to reach the genius of The Shape of Punk to Come.

Never thought that Refused would get back together, and never thought I would be in Japan to see it.

And then, on Sunday July 29^th 2012, on the white stage at fuji rock festival, I got to see those two huge bands of my adolescence playing back-to-back.

And here is what I think.

The Refused reunion makes perfect sense. Twelve years ago these guys made a fantastic album, but broke up before they ever got to really play it to the world. They have unfinished business, and it was so clear in their expressions and in the way that they played that they were loving every second of playing these songs together again. There was a real sense of brotherhood on that stage. And Dennis Lyxzen…. Wow. I am certain that he is the greatest frontman I have ever seen live, standing on speakers, swinging the microphone, jumping into the crowd. Pure energy, pure entertainment. I wish there was a good video of them from Fuji - here is their set from late night TV a couple of weeks ago. 

The At The Drive-in reunion…. to be honest I just don’t understand it. Like every other fan I was very surprised that their “indefinite hiatus” came to an end, and like everyone else I was wondering why. Watching them live, it was like watching two bands put together to play a show. Everyone is still amazing at their instruments, and the songs are still fantastic (was especially please to hear Metronome Arthritis), but the energy and the connexion between the members was completely missing. It really saddens me to say. You could draw a line down the middle of the stage with Cedric and Omar one side, Jim, Tony and Paul on the other. Maybe it was just because of the big stage, and perhaps they will be on fire when they play in a club in Brixton later this month (which a couple of lucky friends will be going to see). Of course they are ten years older and a lot of shit has gone on in between, but there just wasnt the fire that I was hoping for. I wish I could have had the chance to see them back in 2000, when their show looked like this: 

Still, the Mars Volta's newest album, Norctourniquet, is bloody fantastic. Definitely among my favourite records this year. Sadly, I cannot help but think I actually might have been more excited to see TMV, rather than ATDI at FRF.... hmmm......


[christopher]