Sweet. Holy. Sweetness.
Behold, dear reader: Last Thursday night at the Wonder Ballroom, from the third row, I witnessed true rock and roll greatness. After an 18 year absence, The Jesus and Mary Chain returned to Portland in full swagger, gracing us with their personal brand of sonic brilliance. Long hailed for a genre-dodging sound, they have influenced countless bands over the past three decades, whilst their own success has always been limited to just outside the mainstream. But Thursday was all about the Mary Chain, old school, playing their veiled, elusive best. Their once youthful punk attitude was carefully distilled and interpreted from the perspective of middle-aged men who have seen, heard, and done it all. And though I never had the opportunity to see them live at their Psychocandy purest, I think age and maturity have only worked to improve the Reid brothers and their wall-of-guitar style of self-expression.
Thanks for coming back around, fellas, and God bless. Consider this my way of praying...
Highlights:
Head On
Between Planets
Some Candy Talking
And of course:
Just Like Honey
Reverence
I get so wild on my motorbike
I'm breaking loose on this moonlit night
I cut the road like a sharpened knife
And I'm in love with myself...
