First opener Christensen was a solo noise drone artist that played guitar and effects. Seated behind an etch-a-sketch type gadget, Stefan seemed to have two songs going simultaneously. The effects laid down a noisy static while SC sang plaintively and played guitar, it sounded like a song that was playing on AM radio with the station slightly off tune. Another tune sounded as if the audience was under a train trestle.
Gunn-Truscinski Duo is guitar wizard Steve Gunn and drummer John(?) Truscinski. Steve Gunn's "Way Out Weather" release a few years back was amazing. In this incarnation, Gunn played noisy guitar over Truscinski's mallet heavy drumming. Steve has big eyes and a child-like savant demeanor and seemed to have his gaze locked on the drummer so as to telepathically goose the improv. Songs had noisy sequences, raga sections, that gave way to downright melodic portions. These guys have played together for years and it shows.
Body/Head is the duo of Sonic Youth bassist Kim Gordon and experimental guitarist Bill Nace. I have seen Sonic in many venues (Toads Place, a horse barn at Umass, and opening for Neil Young at a large arena, among others) so it made sense to check out the current configuration. Gordon and Nace played noisy guitar in front of a video screen that showed a tectonically paced section of a 70s-era Elliot Gould movie. Gordon sang unintelligibly in front of the squall. While the previous duo were focused on each other, these two seemed to ignore each other. The relatively small room was well attended for a Saturday night, and Body/Head gave my earplugs a run for their money. DJ Karen from Redscroll Records spun platters between sets which added to the hip vibe.
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