So last night I went to the Bowery Ballroom to see Godspeed You! Black Emperor (hope i Got the Punctu!ation right there, guys) with Black Dice opening. It was OK. Black Dice weren't as abrasively loud as they were last time I saw them (at the DFA party at Warsaw with Lighning Bolt--had to leave 10 minutes in due to my companions' sensitive ears) but they still got me going, and then the music during the set change was just as annoying although quieter, and by the time Godspeed came on, I just wasn't very into and left after two songs. It was pretty, but it wasn't as good as when I saw them at Oberlin in the little club there, and I couldn't help thinking about all the bands that do what they do, but better. Maybe I would've enjoyed it more with the Rachels opening or something, or if I was there with friends, but so it goes.

Anyway, I did get handed a nice little flyer from the band. They're know for being radicals, which is kind of weird since they play instrumental music, but it's peeked through on previous albums in vocal samples, and the new one is unsubtley called "Yanquee UXO." Usually I find it pretty annoying, but the flyer was very nice, so I'll post it here, retaining their formatting:

Dearest Strangers/Friends:

Often we feel a communication gap between us&you.
Playing the saddest rock&roll in these alienated
beerhalls, we're shy and clumsy w/the words mostly
but need to say this now finally or once&for all -

We live in rich countries- we got more kinds of kicks/
entertainment than we need. Also, we're gifted w/access
to so much information. "Facts" and knowledge...
If you don't already know or believe that millions of
innocents are maimed, starved, tortured, shot or exploded
in our name, by our own corrupt politicians, then nothing
we do or say'll ever convince you...

There are millions of us worldwide who don't want
any more blood on our hands.
There are millions of us who want to stop this
murderous nonsense forever.

Together we can tear their crummy monsters down...
It's not a naive daydream. (There are more of us than them...)

It could start happening tonight or tomorrow.
(It'll begin in the tiniest little ways...)

Please think on how to make it happen.
These are urgent times.
Find the faintest light there and run towards it slowly...
When the call goes out.
Please march w/other strangers/friends.

There's a sweetness in clumsy efforts.
Stubborn hope always trumps lazy greed.
&Gentle hears tear vulgar castles down.

Don't be afriad. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid.

Love,
Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Obviously I don't agree with everything in there, but it was very sweet and hopeful, and I think there's some value in that.
posted by Mike B. at 1:26 PM 0 comments