The new four-piece GbV (filled out by veteran bassist Greg Demos, Breeders/Amps/Real Lulu drummer Jim MacPherson, and guitarist Doug Gillard -- the lone holdover from the Mag Earwhig!/Cobra Verde era) could've rolled out the singalong favorites from Pollard's massive catalog all night to nary a complaint, but they chose the opposite path, previewing a slew of new songs from the upcoming GbV full-length, spotlighting Pollard's latest solo disc, Waved Out, and blowing the dust off obscurities that haven't seen a stage in years, if ever. Thus, the likes of "Dog's Out," "Liar's Tale," "Peep-Hole," "Some Drilling Implied," "The Who vs. Porky Pig" and "How Loft I Am?" made the cut.
Opening with a salvo of "Cut-Out Witch," "Waved Out" and "Teenage FBI," the 40-some song set rarely failed to deliver, even as it waded into the untested waters of new material. Such titles as "Much Better Mr. Buckles," "Zoo Pie," "Strumpet Eye," "Underground Initiations," and the larger-in-scope "Wormhole" and "Picture Me Big Time" followed a similar idea: start off with a flashy riff from Gillard, then rock big and hard, with bountiful hooks dovetailing into each other. Having written the book on four-track pop minisculism, Pollard now seems intent on rescuing stadium rock, flipping through the pages of psych and prog as he goes. The cagy coot couldn't resist a smile as the group plowed through "Hold On Hope," a remarkable straight-forward new anthem that Pollard probably wrote just to show us he could.
Noticeably greyer on top and thicker about the middle than on recent tours, Pollard spent a bit of time camped out on the drum riser catching his breath between rock kicks and splay-legged leaps. No matter -- his voice has never sounded better, catching fire on the new solo single "Subspace Biographies." With no second guitar onstage to nail the song's piping hook, can-do Bob just sang it, then led the crowd through three passes at the song's infectious chorus. Bassist Demos was a marvel as well, shaking off some considerable rust (he last played with GbV during the '93-'94 Bee Thousand era) to twirl frantically across the stage in his infamous pinstriped pants. Paired with the cymbal-splashing caveman antics of MacPherson, Demos handled favorites like "Maggie Turns To Flies," "Smothered In Hugs," and "Hot Freaks" with explosive aplomb.
"The hits," in Pollard vernacular, came mostly during two superlative encores. "The Old Grunt" led into "Bulldog Skin" and the perennial roof-raiser "Shocker In Gloomtown" to end encore one, then the foursome returned with a vicious "Postal Blowfish," anthemic readings of "Your Name Is Wild" and "I Am A Scientist," and a jubilant "Motor Away" to send the still-chanting crowd home.
The ambitious Pollard refuses to let the GbV camp sit still. Bob wants major-label distribution for the next GbV record (tentatively titled Strawberry Philadelphia Drive, it's scheduled for release in February), and the world may never be the same if he gets it. But if he doesn't, he still has the most prolific and fascinating cult rock group of the era. And with every live show, that reputation grows in stature.
--Lane Hewitt