What do you hope to get out the Daydream Nation shows?
 

I've booked to go to one of the Daydream Nation shows in London, but the more I think about it, the more I'm not sure why. It's a knee-jerk reaction when I see that tickets are on sale for an SY show that I want to get one, but I'm having serious doubts about the validity of this one.

You see, I see SY as a band with artistic integrity, and I don't understand where these shows fit into that. They've always been, to me, a forward-looking group, wanting to challenge and progress themselves artistically, and it seems to be out of keeping with that sort of vision to be going out on a tour (albeit a mini-tour) to play 14 songs that they wrote and recorded 19 years ago.

Some might say that SY are playing the shows to support the release of the Daydream Nation expanded edition, but they didn't do that for any of the other three expanded editions, so why do it for DDN?

Others might say that this gives fans the chance to experience the way the band was in their 1980s heyday. This seems a very odd idea to me, suggesting that they have sat down and decided that everything that they've done since DDN has been less worthwhile, and that they should start accepting that and become a nostalgia-based outfit. What utter bull.

My sincere hope for these shows is that they have decided where they are headed now that they are no longer contracted to Geffen, and that they have decided to go it alone. That they are either going to release their future work themselves without the backup of a major label, or that they are going to record albums and present a completed package to various labels and ask, "okay, who is going to release this?". To do either of these they are going to need to have the funds to pay out of their own pockets (well, the band's pockets) to go into a studio, record the album, pay a producer, an engineer and all the other people involved in recording an album, and end up with a product that they and/or a label will want to release. They'd need to get funds to do this somehow, and what better way than to do a money-spinning tour playing their "classic" album. If this is the case, I can support the idea from a commercial point of view, but it still sticks in my throat a little that the band is going back 19 years instead of looking forwards.

Anyone else got any thoughts to share?


(Oh, by the way, I still love SY, and at the moment my intention is still to go to the show I have a ticket for, but that is more out of hope of something interesting being done for the encores than out of expectation of a valid artistic experience.)



EDIT - I've just reread my post, and I guess that part of my concern is about where SY are headed in the future. Do they feel that they've driven themselves into a cul-de-sac (or been driven into one) and they feel the only way out is to go into reverse for a while and then take a different turning, or are the DDN shows just a little side thing and their future involves continuing down the road they're already on? From the point of view of their doing something that excites me, I hope it's the first of those.

Dude, i'm going to all three!!!. For the moment i just want to go and enjoy the shows, enjoy seeing my favourite band play one of my favourite albums of all time. Where they go from there is their decision, and i trust that they will make the best one. I'm not going to worry, if this the end then its been a great ride and they are going out with a bang, and i got the chance to see them 4 times! and thats not bad.

I see your point. That's what I feel as well. My first reaction was same. Wow. Sy gig. Get ticket and go see sy play live + DN set. It's going to be hardly like back then (obviously), so it's more and more something like commercial move to me, which is ok I suppose (for band income). But, little worried that they have to do it like that. Maybe I'd see it in different light if there would be only one DN show in Europe (but then).

So yeah, I'm going and don't expecting nothing rather than something. And I'd rather see SY doing something like SYR 4 or Melbourne Dircet now.

(I love SY..)

To put my thoughts into context, I should mention that I've seen the DDN songs played before, so going to the concert isn't going to give me any new experience. I can understand the excitement about the shows for those people who, for reasons of age or whatever, couldn't see the band on the original DDN tour and so this is their first chance to see the songs played, but I hope they're not hoping to get some sort of life-changing experience out of it.

Yeah, that's cool. I'm just interested to know why SY are playing the shows. Hopefully someone will ask them that question in an interview some time.

My title for this thread is totally at odds with the question that I actually ask in it. My bad. If I could change it to include "Why are SY playing the DDN shows?", I would.

I just think something like this: they probably enjoy a lot playing DDN.
I think they could have done just a couple "special" shows, but if they agreed to do more (like, 3 in the same city :) ) it is probably because they actually enjoy playing those songs and like this idea. Dunno what you guys hope to get from their DDN shows (I'll go see a "special" show only if they'll play here in italy), it's not one of my fav album and I've already seen them play a good amount of my fav DDN songs on the MS tour... On a side note, I think that this "Don't look back" thing is growing and growing ( slint playing spiderland in italy too, for example) and this is another good reason to add dates. People want to see them playing this stuff? So why not book more dates. I don't think that this "thing" (meaning the organization of Don't look back series of gigs) was this "strong" when the others reissues were released. Actually I'm not really worried about the bands' future, I don't think that gaining more money than usual with "special" gigs could deeply affect their future decisions. As I said in that other thread, my only complain (and remember that, as for now, I'm not even going to see one of these gigs) is that "multiplying" the number of dates does not help making these gigs special.

Well, for me it's simple.

I've been to a Sonic Youth concert only once in my life so far and that for sure was a life-changing experience. So I guess, this one won't be that much of a killer, but still a great show and I will be enjoying as much as possible (in case they don't fuck up). And I love Daydream Nation and I'll see London again and will have great time and yada yada.

somebody asked them to do it... and they said ok let's do it, i guess.

And you'll meet lots of nice people, Slavo, don't forget that bit :D

The board-related social aspect of the concert that I'm going to is almost as important to me as the music.

yeah, i really think that it was that simple. there was a huge public demand for something like this, it's a nice way to celebrate daydream nation almost 20 years later, blablabla

they're doing this for the most of us.

i'm considering going to barcelona. sonic youth only came to portugal 3 times and due to my age i was never there. :(

But wouldn't you rather see them perform something that represents their current artistic vision, not a re-enactment of something past?

By that logic, if I order dessert, then I must not have liked my appetizer or entree.

I respect your opinion on this, sonicl, but I don't accept the "either/or" notion that they either want to let fans experience a classic album or they are a forward-looking band. To answer your question, what I hope to get out of this is a great performance of music I've never heard them play. Then, next year, right on "schedule", I plan to see them again, playing mostly new music from a newly-released album. I plan to have my cake and eat it, too!

i dont really expect to get anything out of the shows. i mean i dont think it will be a life changing experience or anything. i am just interested in seeing and hearing it. also hearing some songs played live which they dont really do anymore.

Some of the responses on this thread make me think that the culture of pleasing your audience that seems so prominent in our time is very much something that is also making music a more boring thing for people who demand a little more than what they'd ask for.

yes, tottally. if i had the chance... :(

a thing people are forgetting is that this is all on Barry Hogan, he started the whole Don't Look Back series, and since SY are still friends with him then it's kinda awkward for them to say no

and yes on the commercial side of things their is that aspect that this may be their final year with geffen, so they are getting the most out of it, and regardless of what any DIY person may say anywhere, what they want is security and a peace of mind. DIYers do it themselves certainly, SY for most intentioned purposes is DIY, they aren't raking in the coin, in all the years they have been on geffen how much of a substantial profit have they made? the most significant was lollapalooza in 95 when they made at least 2 mil, and that all went into echo canyon which has now been sold off, hell if i know if they made a return on prime property in downtown mahattan but one can assume

maybe cause london doesn't get too many SY club dates, it sold out quickly, and don't think the response didn't change the bands mind on how many of these shows they wanted to do

and ultimately, are people THAT concerned about the future of their artistic credibility? the band's sound is constantly changing, then they go off on their own a lot of very wonderful projects emerge, but there is a certain emphasis on being innovative to an unattainable standard, SY have done things most other bands in 25 years of existence haven't done, and one of them is not suck after 25 years, and considering how many other acts are out there that were from the 60s, the 70s, 80s and so on doing their thing, how many are actually evolving, and how many can only stick to the blues scale?.......

By the standards of the post before Nefeli's, basically you are allowed to put out shoddy records after you're past your fifties because, you know, you've done enough for queen and country etc etc. If that sort of mentality is to be applied to Sonic Youth, it'd be a right laugh for someone to to stick a medal on their unironed t-shirts after every celebration of past things.

They play festivals every time they hit Europe. They play festivals here when they can. They even played the Minnesota and New York State Fairs last year.

However, it seems fairly obvious after all these years that Sonic Youth will always draw the line somewhere and be found in the art camp of the art/commerce equation. This being the case, sonicl's repeated diatribe is wearing a bit thin.

A few seconds of Lee's whispers on Matthew Stearns' dictaphone tells me that Sonic Youth are doing everything just as they always have: They are playing the Daydream Nation shows because they've decided that they want to play all those songs again.

don't misconstrue my post, by your standards the last few have been shoddy records, not by my tastes they haven't. i did say there aren't many that can keep with the rate of good records SY have put out since DDN, and i do include Rather Ripped, look at the Stooges, they got panned for their effort cause it couldn't live up to it's expectations, the new Dinosaur at their best can only be a maybe 3rd or 4th best in their catalog, if My Bloody Valentine actually complete a new record, do people actually expect it to be any good to the standards people hold of them?

if anything being in your 50s puts a lot more pressure based on the bands who have come before and play into their 50s, 60s, or in the Rolling Stones case 120s, most bands who enter that age bracket do start sucking cause their minds begin to close up, mostly cause those bands were extremely reliant on blues and they never expanded pass that, I had an offer to see The Who recently but passed on it cause they actually are coasting by on past glory, if they weren't then they go out billed as "Townsend and Daltry"

but then again alot of this is on your own tastes kropy, i think at times the expectation of innovation and living up to ones own high standard which for you is what? Sister? can cloud one from seeing superb songwriting

you lauded me over my preference of listening to Gumball, well are they innovative?, No, not in the slightest, does that disqualify their songwriting ability? it shouldn't

Hang on a sec, when i refer to the quality of the last two records not being that good, i'm not saying that that's because they aren't 'innovative' records. If i think about Washing Machine/ A Thousand Leaves/ Murray Street (all three fantastic records), one thing that struck me about them at first was the quality of the songs and not how much they were innovative, which is not that much to these ears, anyway.

in all honesty i wasn't overly impressed with Rather Ripped when i first heard it back in June, but my perception of the record changed after hearing it live so many times, and i do find the material more refreshing and interesting then the last two albums live, but i think alot of that is due to Mark's presence, i liked Jim with the band, but live he always seemed like he had a stomach ache and kinda was just fuddy duddy, no knock on him at all, but when Mark joined up there has been a renewed energy and fun that i haven't seen before since i started seeing them in 02, and overwhelmingly they were on night after night

and these DDN shows, i think people are getting on a little too much that this will become a trend, i highly doubt that, it not like their next album will try to sound like DDN either

one thing i noticed about Sonic Nurse when they released it was how "Sonic Youth" it sounded, mostly cause the tunings they brought on where ones they have used in the past such as GGDDD#D# aka the Bro James one(where as Washing Machine through Murray Street they were using newer ones almost exclusively) it was odd at first, but it melded quite well in the end

i am not an overly critical person as you can tell, and i focus on the best of the things, maybe it is a little overreaching what some of their records have accomplished

the new Stooges for example was rated 1.0 by pitchfork, but metacritic who casts a net of as many reviews as possible determined the consensus was that it's more like a 5 of of 10 from 22 reviews, certainly alot of their tastes from rolling stone to pitchfork are highly suspect at best, critiquing is a very delicate thing and can charge some one as an arbiter of good taste to a straight playa hater from chicago son(far too many haters in the midwest)

you'll be disappointed, they won't play P.J. Harvey's covers! :p :rolleyes: ;)

i often thought he looked like someone had
just pissed on his shoes.

They actually said that they did lollapalooza for the money, didn't they? So it could certainly be that they are doing this to pay for a new album/recording studio/ whatever...

I also think that that this tour will raise the public conciousness of Daydream Nation, and I think SY feel that DDN didn't get the recognition/promotion it deserved - that was part of why they moved to Geffen, right?

Firstly the Daydream Nation Saturday show in London is going to be my very first Sonic Youth gig. Daydream Nation is also my favourite album. So the gig will be 'life changing'. I can hardly wait....what better way to start Uni eh?

I think people are perhaps reading to much into this. No matter what your personal opinion is on which album is Sonic Youth's crowning achievement, you have to recognize that DDN was the album that changed everything. It was the album that fundamentally changed Sonic Youth's position in the Rock world. That is not to say that their work previously or since has been inferior or lacking in anyway. Its just to appreciate that the DDN era was important not only in Sonic Youth's history but in how it influenced what came later, in particular the alternative explosion in the 1990's. Sonic Youth will continue to innovate and create exciting new music for years to come i'm sure. But at this point its seems particularly relevent to go back and re-examine the music particularly since we are approaching DDN's 20th birthday.

You may not for whatever reason agree that DDN is SY's best album, but it is the album most people associate with the band. The reason Daydream Nation is being performed is the same reason we still perform Bach's Brandenburg Concertos or Dvorak's New World Symphony....they are untouchable works of huge cultural, musical and personal importance. Or perhaps its because a 14 year old can still pick up the record in a store and find as much meaning and life affirming joy within its groves as everyone did 20 years ago...

no they don't ever really do it for the money, that was just bonus for them

the money they earned from lollapaloza went towards building their studio. so YES, they did do it for the money

What is wrong with them using their talent to also make money? Money buys you the ability to make music and feed the kids all at the same time.


How come Roberta didn't say 'SoNIC YOUZZZ RULEEZZ MAANN!!'

Sonic Life!

you people are all fucking crazy

how is playing daydream nation, a record which sold UNDER 250 thousand copies since it came out in 1987, a corporate or sell out or "for the money" move?

I think it is a band giving their fans something that most have never had the chance to hear. iT IS A beautiful thing. enjoy it for what it is.


and while sonic youth are certainly a forward thinking progressive, future aimed band, they are a ROCK BAND, and they wanna ROCK

Sonnicc Youzzzz Ruleezzzz!!

If SY want to ROCK, why don't they make a new ROCK album?

SONIC YOUTH RUUULLEEZZZZ MAAANNNN!!!!!


SONIC LIFE!!!


and the only answer that matters as to why sonic youth is playing daydream nation at shows is

BECAUSE THEY WANT TO!

every album they have ever made is a ROCK album.

do you not understand that tours are PROMOTIOONAL????

that rock tours are done to promote ALBUMS??????? (NOT vice versa)
and that daydream nation REISSUE is due out later this year?

DUH?

DUH???

(not aimed at anyone specific there)

mee tooo, i start uni in september!!!, i'm going to all three though:D . see you on the saturday!!!

I think some of you are being pretty disrespectful to the band.

I know, damn Indie kids!

what uni you going to screamingskull?

Surely all they're doing is taking part in a groundbreaking event run by ATP, who they've always supported?
What about all the other bands who've taken part in the Don't Look Back series - Dinosaur Jr, Low, Tortoise, Gang Of Four, Mudhoney, Stooges - are they all sell-outs too? Or are they just taking part in a unique series of shows?
And as the London shows sold out so quickly, people obviously want to see DN live, so playing it elsewhere makes sense more than playing a standard tour... doesn't it?

UCE in birmingham to study photography, you?

don't forget the lemonheads. thats the only don't look back concert ive been to.