So did playing China make you think about shows elsewhere any differently?
No, but it did make Coachella seem like something of a let down. It was like, “Oh, we have to go do this…” But festivals are always kind of touch and go. It wasn’t a brilliant Coachella this year.

:( :( :( :(

I find it hard to believe that they've sold so little - I mean like now in time since it's release i would have though stuff like daydream nation had sold over a million. I remember looking at post mellon collie pumpkins sales thinking they were really small - like 300,000 to 500,000. But it is like the thing like complaining that someone like michael jackson only sold 2mil of whatever album because thriller sold shit loads.... You know it's not such a bad think - though i feel a little cheated at how they dip after EJTNS though. Just thinking about all those asshole bandwagon jumpers.

i dont mind that sy is doing a previous album tour its hip its not like there the rolling stones who havent recorded anything new or atleast listen worthy in the past 20 yrs and are a novelty act basically (And greatest hits albums dont count)

I agree with you on the kind of boring point, but I posted about that a whole lot already. To me, the fun of seeing Sonic Youth is wondering what will come next in the set. Imagine knowing, exactly, song for song. That takes away so much. It really sounds like Kim agrees too.

Nonetheless, I'm sure they are probably getting paid more for these gigs than they usually do on tour. If they do it again for Goo or Dirty in a year or two, I'm going to be seriously disappointed in them, but they probably won't.

I feel the same way about them doing it for the money as I did when the Sex Pistols reunited and openly said it was for the money. Yes, they deserve(d) to get paid for what they have done as far as changing the face of rock music forever. Yes, they will probably be good shows, an the band will still put into it all they have. Will I go if it comes through my town? I'm honestly not sure, I'd have to examine the ticket price first.

I'm excited for these shows nonetheless, but I do agree with the general vibe here. I think it would've been cool if they relearned many of the songs and threw them in randomly during normal setlists. That being said, I understand that part of the thrill of seeing Sonic Youth is wondering what will come next in their catalog of 30 years of music, but I still think the shows will be fun.

Also, for all we know, they could bring other songs back too for an encore, perhaps. For example, Disappearer uses the same tuning as 'Cross the Breeze. Although it was hardly ever played live, maybe they'll see it as an opportunity to bring it back? This is arbitrary.

I was at those shows, at least the one at Union Station in Seattle, and that makes me less likely to want to see them do it live now. It would just fuck up my memories to see them do the same thing today (only even more in the exact order and without any chance of them throwing in "I Love Her All of the Time" which I think they did back then, or "Expressway".)

I'll admit, if they toured Bad Moon Rising all over again, I'd be sorely tempted though. Of course they'd lose money doing that.

I understand what people are saying about wanting to be surprised, I want to see "Teenage Riot" and "Hey Joni" and others performed live, when I saw them with "Sonic Nurse" I was quite let down that they didn't vere off all that much from "Nurse" songs, the only song I remember then doing was "Kool Thing". So to that extent it was a disappiontment that thier set wasn't as diverse as I was expecting/hoping.

You probably saw them pretty early in the tour, eh? They tend to do that with new albums at first, then as they keep playing the new songs over and over, they start mixing in the old stuff. Late in the Nurse tour they were doing tons of old stuff.

I have to say though, that to me means they are always playing what they are most into hearing themselves. When songs are new, they want to hear them most. When they get a bit older, they want to hear some of their old songs to freshen things up. That's apparently NOT the case with these Daydream shows where Kim is freely admiting she's going to get sick of "Eric's Trip" right after "Cross the Breeze".

Wait, just wondering, where did Kim say that? I'm not doubting it, just wondering if there's an article or something.

The article is in Moshe's post at the top of this thread.

So why don't they play all twelve songs, but just out of order?

Wrong, there's other dates where they aren't performing daydream nation, the two ones in France (Istres + Cergy Pontoise) for instance

A band that has stuck together with the same core lineup since 1985 and has continuously released music ranging from good to amazing, should be able to do whatever they want... including "sell-out."

I don't get why everyone is so down on the idea. it's a sonic youth show and they're going to be playing some good songs. sure, knowing whats going to come next kinda bores it down - but the idea is really interesting to me. i wonder what exactly is going to happen. its just the curiousity that intrigues me.

Well, this DDN thing is really only going to be attended by the fans, and unlike fans of bands who have reunited, there isnt this expectation that theyll play everything note for note. If anything else its gonna be fun watching them play stuff they havent played for years and improvising if things go astray.
Its my first SY gig as well.

it's just a handful of shows, on a tour with other "normal" shows. i am excited for it. an interesting idea to try a few times, not a good idea to start doing a whole lot, or they would become a cartoon of themselves. i'm hoping they really streatch out and jam some of those songs, like when i saw 'em do an epic teenage riot for a set closer last fall in LA. the new DDN book makes a point of saying that sections of the songs were improvised, and on "destroyed room" they make a point of wanting to showcase their looser instumental side; so they could potentially take all their improv knowledge/skills gained in the last 20 years to reinterpret their old classic in an even-more-mindblowing fashion...

imagine hearing teen age riot > silver rocket > the sprawl
and you're expecting cross' the breeze but what comes next is for instance death valley '69
now then you would be fucking surprised, even more than knowing you're gonna be surprised by the next song

Or they could put on a recording of "March of the Ciccone Robots" on the highest volume and then start randomly shooting into the crowd.

I think I would be more surprised at that.

sorry, but sometimes honesty isn't always the best policy. wasn't really gonna go before but now i'm definitely not.

why does anyoe care the motivation behind playing what is TO ME, the single greatest rock album of the past 27 years?


just enjoy and enjoy. the geffen gravytrain has ended.