http://www.timeout.com/chicago/outandabout/?p=2503
Sonic Youth - Tuten introduces Sonic Youth with a quip about a “middle-aged riot,” which says something about the appeal of tonight’s Don’t Look Back series acts. Sonic Youth goes on to recreate its album
Daydream Nation with little of its vitality lost–even improvising many of the song’s middle-eights. The album could easily have been interpreted as a look back in itself when it came out, a touchstone for the hardcore and experimental rock eras with the kind of memorable songs that opened the doors to the mid-90s grunge hits. In Union Park, Lee Ranaldo swings his Fender guitar toward his amp at the end of “Teenage Riot.” Kim Gordon, in Jackie-O-worthy mini stalks the stage and sings tunes like “Kissability” with proto-Riot Grrl spunk. Though the stage sound system was woefully underpowering the band that brought its 20-plus guitars, the noise-loving New Yorkers had the exponentially more visual appeal than the preceding bands. They wrap with an encore featuring “Incinerate” off their previous album, and some new songs with Mark Ibold from Pavement on bass. Late breaking news of the night? Thurston Moore will guest with Yoko Ono on Saturday night.
—John Dugan