Recently the topic of greatest two guitar bands came up with some friends, and there was no question that Swervedriver made my top ten. I wasn’t considering bands with guitar heroes, like Television or Thin Lizzy, ripping off solos left and right; no, I was after bands that made their guitars lock together in interesting ways, often to the extent where it’s hard to discern who is playing what part. Bands like Polvo, Thin White Rope, Sonic Youth and especially Come.
The amount of really good parts that Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge have created is pretty astounding as you go through their catalog, both from the original phase and into the reformation era. Emphasizing that, the night started with “Autodidact,” a perfect example of how Adam and Jimmy weave their tender trap. If you’re a guitarist and frustrated on how to play “Duel,” well Rick Beato had it broken down part by part via Adam; pretty fascinating even for non-players.
The band just released a new four song EP and The World’s Fair continues the slow ember burn of 2019’s Future Ruins (which was entirely ignored tonight!). “Pack Yr Vision” might be a subtle hint that the band has been listening to Stereolab a bit, while the title track is a more stately affair.
The old fires burned brightly too, the amber glow of “Setting Sun” and “Sunset” from their debut weren’t played back to back in what would have been a solar celebration. Old nuggets like “Never Lose That Feeling” and “Rave Down” beat-boxed our brains to bits, and the encore 1-2-3 punch was unassailable. Just can’t top the massive riffs of “Son Of Mustang Ford,” the Byrdsian whimsy of “The Birds” and the ender of “Duel.” Had they squeezed in the epic brooder of “Girl On A Motorbike” my mind might have exploded, but maybe they saved that for the next tour.
Frankie Rose had opening duties, the quartet playing with no lighting save projected black and white geometric patterns, coming from a floor-mounted projector and a giant white screen. Rose wore a Cocteau Twins shirt and that was a good marker for her sound; moody guitar scapes, shrouded in sonic chiaroscuro.
