Screaming Fields of Sonic Fanaticism

Let me tell you something about Sonic Youth.

They make me really fucking happy.

Let me tell you something else about Sonic Youth.

They rock your ass.

They do. Sonic Youth rocks your ass and mine as well. Kim Gordon's energy shames you, you lazy fuck, and she and Thurston Moore are my newest inappropriate rockstar crushes. And they're funny! Hoo, did I giggle.

I love that Kim watches her fingers as she plays. I love her flailing dances. I love that they all play like they're still twenty years old. I love their crazy strobe lights.

During some of the songs I could feel the bass in my chest and throat, in my cheeks and nose. I couldn't feel my voice rising from my throat, and I was fairly certain that my nostrils were flapping from the force of it.

One song ended in pure noise, each musician kneeling over their respective amps, playing wildly. I thought I heard screaming but I couldn't tell if it was the guitars or the crowd, couldn't hear myself think over it.

Soinlove with Sonic Youth.

And they played "Drunken Butterfly"! I was enthused.

Also worth mentioning is the crazy opening band, Erase Errata. They were fucking crazy. I adored them. They also played a miniset with Kim under the name Anxious Rats. The band came out wearing rat ears, adopted deep voices, and played fast paced, thirty to forty seconds songs.

Between Erase Errate and Kim Gordon, I want to be in a band now more than ever.

Check out Kim’s update on the Anxious Rats at sonicyouth.com.

Sigafoos
2002