The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion show at Palace, 1735 N. Vine, Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA, US with Liars and Yeah Yeah Yeahs on 18 September 2002.
“Three of New York’s finest post-punk noise mongers shared the stage at the Palace on September 18, 2002. The Liars were up 1st with a set designed to deafen anyone within earshot. Songs from their 1st album “They Threw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top” had lyrics that were intentionally distorted. They seemed to be masking an intense P.O.V. behind a wall of Feedback. The songs being performed had clever names like; “Grown Men Don’t Fall In The River, Just Like That”, “Tumbling Walls Buried Me In The Debris” & “Nothing Is Ever Lost Or Can Be Lost My Science Friend” but if they had a message I missed it.
The buzziest band in N.Y.C, was up next. The “Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs” were on the covers of a ton of music & fashion magazines, but their 1st full length album wouldn’t come out for another year. Although their 2002 e.p. sold quite well. Their remarkable ascension seemed to center on the band’s captivating lead singer Karen O. Her cohorts Brian Chase & Nick Zinner bashed away on drums & guitar but all eyes were on Karen as she paced the stage like like a caged alpha predator. She drew threadbare comparisons to Lydia Lunch, Siouxsie Sioux & P.J. Harvey. Truly powerful songs like “Bang”, “Mystery Girl” & “Our time” planted a flag on unknown territory. Could noise rock take over the charts? I doubt it.
Jon Spencer had been barnstorming in New York’s scruffier clubs since ’86 and was still royally pissed off! His power trio ”The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion” tore into crowds like a pack of rabid hyenas with Jon cracking the whip. He screamed “BLUES EXPLOSION” before, during & after every song while thrashing his guitar frantically or drawing squeals out of a theremin. Russell Simins was a bull behind the drum kit & Judah Bauer hid slinky guitar hooks behind solid walls of feedback.”
Ticket / Adverts / Quote: Kevin Shattuck (https://www.facebook.com/kevin.shattuck.3)
Tour poster artwork by Paul Pope who also did the artwork and design for the first Heavy Trash album. This poster along with the Heavy Trash artwork is included in the retrospective book titled PulpHope.
