{"id":28377,"date":"2017-06-22T20:32:39","date_gmt":"2017-06-22T19:32:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=28377"},"modified":"2017-06-24T10:12:28","modified_gmt":"2017-06-24T09:12:28","slug":"kool-things-the-thurston-moore-group-invades-a-teeming-scalas-rock-n-roll-consciousness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2017\/06\/kool-things-the-thurston-moore-group-invades-a-teeming-scalas-rock-n-roll-consciousness\/","title":{"rendered":"KOOL THINGS – The Thurston Moore Group Invades A Teeming Scala’s Rock N Roll Consciousness"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Picture by Lorenzo Spoerry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having spent the first 10 minutes crushed beneath someone’s armpit in a packed and sweaty Scala, it’s painfully obvious Thurston Moore<\/strong>\u00a0still has a massive following in London.<\/h4>\n

They were still cramming them in well into the start of his set on a sultry June Thursday night and the former Sonic Youth<\/strong> man seemed pleased to be back in his adopted home.<\/h4>\n

By the time we’d traversed The Scala’s labyrinthine passageways to find a spot where we could actually see as well as hear what was going on, the band were already well into their stride.<\/p>\n

Something of a Dorian Gray figure, Moore remains largely untouched by the passage of time.<\/p>\n

Perched at the edge of the stage, he dominates proceedings, head down in concentration, or thrown back in classic rock pose, completely absorbed by the music.<\/p>\n

Laid back and comfortable in the surroundings, he drawls “I don’t know how to respond to that” to a cry of “I love you Thurston!” from a female admirer in the crowd.<\/p>\n

Eschewing the tighter song structures of his former band, Moore’s new sound is more experimental and free form, open to interpretation and improvisation.<\/p>\n

The new songs are long, more like classical movements, Moore giving flight to his imagination like some kind of No Wave Coltrane.<\/p>\n

He has a willing foil in fellow guitarist\u00a0James Sedwards<\/strong>, formerly of\u00a0Nought.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The pair instinctively spark off each other,\u00a0Sedwards’ serpentine soloing, serving as counterpoint to Moore’s more percussive style.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo triptych by Lorenzo Spoerry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sonic Youth sticksman\u00a0Steve Shelley <\/strong>is back behind the kit for the night’s show, anchoring the group with his powerful, but unshowy, motorik sound.<\/p>\n

While bassist\u00a0Debbie Googe<\/strong>\u00a0(My Bloody Valentine<\/strong>)\u00a0remains rooted centre stage, half -turning to lock herself into Shelley’s rhythms, she adds a thundering growl to the howling feedback from the twin guitars.<\/p>\n

Much of the new album\u00a0Rock N Roll Consciousness\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>gets an airing, with\u00a0Turn On\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>and Smoke Of Dreams<\/em><\/strong> –<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>introduced by Moore as a song about “the fascist agenda in America” – among the highlights.<\/p>\n

The sound quality, particularly on Moore’s vocals, leaves a little to be desired, and some of the end of song noodling, or “orchestrated dissonance” as my more eloquent friend put it, borders on the self-indulgent.<\/p>\n

But when Moore and his cohorts really hit the heights, as on the mesmerising\u00a0Exalted<\/strong><\/em>, dedicated “to the most beautiful rock’n’roll spirit\u00a0Anita Pallenberg<\/strong>“, there are few around to touch them.<\/p>\n

The merest vestige of a nod to his old band comes with the final song, a rendition of\u00a0Ono Soul <\/strong><\/em>from his 1995 solo album Psychic Hearts<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

But anyone hoping to hear a Sonic Youth track or two was always destined for disappointment.<\/p>\n

The message from this show couldn’t be more clear – Sonic Youth is dead, long live The Thurston Moore Group.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Picture by Lorenzo Spoerry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Having spent the first 10 minutes crushed beneath someone’s armpit in a packed and sweaty Scala, it’s painfully obvious Thurston Moore\u00a0still has a massive…<\/p>\n

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