This past monday evening (and every monday in January), Schubas was hosting Chicagos Pit er Pat as the band de jour. Having not seen them live since the arrival of their new record, Pyramids(Thrill Jockey), my hesitation to see them was short lived. The opening acts Lichens AKA Rob AA Lowe and Metia, also influenced my decision to head out.
The operatic vocals of Metia were backdropped by the noises of both Pit er pat members as well as mr. rlowe. An impressive opening act considering I recall nothing from it due to the overwelming sets by both Lichens and PEP.
Lichens set hummed and chirped, like the summer mornings in the country streams in southern iowa. Birds flying and celebrating in the distance. Humming to yourself the lyrics to a John Fahey song you heard on the radio. As you cast the lure into the babbling brook, happy and majestic, as the thumping bass of a distant motorist driving a 72 el dorado passes you bye. Lichens set was a field recording of that day.
Pit er pat too felt clean: well familiar with themselves: confident. They joined Lichens near the end of his set, improvised and took over. They sounded like chicago. What one would hope from the underground. I have not been fortunate enough to see the VU in the late sixties, I have heard them, and that is what I imagined in my mind. Unforced, embracing their sound, confident. At one point they removed the two elements of their sound, the signatures, the bass and keys and replaced them with 2-6 strings. Much like the violin in venus in furs, it was unmistakable. Floating much like the birds in Lichens set, but witnessed from inside that passing 72 el dorado.
I think the sound that they are projecting right now, this very moment is as important now, as it will be in 5 years, as it will be in 10 years, or when the music scene redevelops in 20.
