My Bloody Valentine (Denver 4/24/09)

press release photo from their myspace page

My Bloody Valentine
Fillmore Auditorium * 1510 Clarkson, Denver, Colorado * 4/24/09 * 8 PM
http://www.mybloodyvalentine.co.uk/
I couldn’t agree more with my friend Alyx’s review of this show with the opening of “My Bloody Ears” which certainly wraps up the concert in a nutshell. I think I’ll continue admiring this band from afar and their CD’s, never again for a live concert. Don’t get me wrong, I love this band like there is no tomorrow, but the stacks upon stacks of speakers and woofers broadcasting blaring solid noise that decays your innards for over 30 minutes my friends is not music, it’s pollution, and detrimental to life. Not my thing. I wound up leaving early in the middle of their 30 minute noise-blast as I couldn’t take it any longer. Even with the ear plugs (Thank you Noah for insisting I wear them).

So after 16 years of absence, My Bloody Valentine reunited in 2008 that led them on a world tour with shows in Europe, Japan, and the U.S.A. They hit Coachella this year in Indio California, the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in New York, and this show at the Filmore in Denver. Tickets went for $40 each, but were being scalped for $5 in front of the theater the night of the show. Hundreds of free tickets were given out free last minute thereby cheating those who paid for them. My Bloody Valentine is originally from Dublin, Ireland and phenomenally known as one of the world’s best shoegazer bands serving the shoegazing, post-punk, noise pop, dream pop, and experimental musical realms. Formed by Kevin Shields and drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig, combined with Bilinda Butcher and bassist Debbie Googe; in Dublin in 1984 they predominantly played in London. They were active from 1984 until 1997, seeing a hiatus, and coming back together in 2007 until the present. As their popularity grew through the years, they experimented with distortion, pitch bending, and digital reverb creating the sound known as “shoegazing”. Their 1991 album “Loveless” found funding difficulties in its creation for two years, but once it was released they became critically acclaimed. They’ve been signed with the labels of Tycoon, Lazy, Creation Records, Sony, and Sire. Shortly after Loveless they disappeared until 2007 when they announced their reunion and new music.

For this performance, the Filmore was decently packed, but plenty of room to wander about. The noise level whas phenomenally a nightmare however. I give the band itself on its CD’s a 4 rating, but this performance simply a 1 star out of 5 equating to horrible. Turn down the damn noise!