times for LOW tonight @ ALT (2 Viewers)

[Foggy]

8:30pm: The Holy Roman Army
9:15pm: Atlas Sound
10:30pm: Low

DJ David Kitt til late

 

[sweetoblivion]

Well, what did people think? I was blown away (first time seeing them) but was (am?) genuinely worried about Alan S. He looked very distressed and tense, it was very sad to watch Especially during 'Canada' and the first and second songs. But after the gig he seemed very calm, he chatted away to fans for ages.

 

[Richie]

The gig was fucking mindblowing (though anybody who only had the first 3 or 4 Low albums might have been slightly shocked at the guitar hero-isms) but I agree, it did seem like Alan S. was pushing himself a little over the edge at times. There's a recent documentary about them called 'You May Need A Murderer' that had me a little bit worried about him especially, for a guy who seems very genial outwardly he seems to be struggling against a very bleak worldview a lot of the time.

 

[potlatch]

Amazing gig. The sound was incredible. But, yeah, I thought that Sparhawk was beginning to look really distressed towards the end. With everyone demanding another encore, he seemed really caught between being flattered and wanting to please the fans and just wanting to get the hell of the stage.

 

[palace]

i didn't think sparhawk seemed that bad... the best low gig i've seen was january '05 in the village (touring the great destroyer) where he was a nervous wreck, really bad twitching... he had his nervous breakdown just after that...

 

[sweetoblivion]

Yeah I agree with what ye're saying - I've never seen Low before (missed all their other gigs cos I was underage or living in Cork, gah) so I honestly did not realise his mental health issues spilled over into his live performance.
It genuinely unnerved me and I found myself thinking about it constantly today, which might say more about me than him, lol. Seriously though, it is unbelievable that the gig was THAT good, and that they are consistently that good live
when he appears to find performing live quite tortuous. I know not every musician finds performing live fun or easy, but when he butchered part of Canada by screaming into his guitar, it was very hard to watch. His distress was palpable through the whole gig, his entire body was tense.
Also at the start when he played his guitar using the pedal (actually I'm not sure what if it was a pedal, I could be wrong) it was obvious he was extremely angry. I wonder now though if when he was shouting 'fuck' during the first (perhaps second?) song that was part of a tourettes-like reaction (including the jerky tics that he has) to his internal stress.

I am amazed at how Mimi can also be on stage with him and hold it together watching her husband go through that. I think they may have cut the set slightly short as she got them to play Dinosaur Act (I think it was that one) rather than whatever I assume was on the setlist. Also when they finished, she made a 'cutthroat' motion to signal it was time to get off the stage.

But the fact he came on and did two encores, and then seemed happy with the crowd's reaction perhaps shows that he at least enjoyed the fact we enjoyed the gig. Despite the fact that during the encores his guitar acted up worse than it had all night.

What struck me though was when the gig was over, and he was chatting to fans, he was very calm and relaxed. When I interviewed him he was so softly spoken and genial. I went up at the end and gave him a copy of the article, and he was simply lovely, he even gave me a hug and a kiss to say thanks.

I suppose I've probably given this all too much thought but it's been running through my head all day and I don't think I'll be able to listen to them again without thinking about it. I can't help feeling empathic when I see something like that happen to someone who seems very sensitive to things and is in obvious turmoil.

 

[sweetoblivion]

The gig was fucking mindblowing (though anybody who only had the first 3 or 4 Low albums might have been slightly shocked at the guitar hero-isms) but I agree, it did seem like Alan S. was pushing himself a little over the edge at times. There's a recent documentary about them called 'You May Need A Murderer' that had me a little bit worried about him especially, for a guy who seems very genial outwardly he seems to be struggling against a very bleak worldview a lot of the time.

I watched that last night the bits where he was in the church building talking (in his shirt and tie, how strange to see him wearing that) and by the sea/lake (where he was stoned I think) were heartbreaking - the anger and frustration that was there was so sad.
The bits with him and Mimi and the kids were gorgeous - their kids are so cute. And when he said he and Mimi have a 'very rare relationship' - that is so true. I would have liked to have heard more from Mimi - also it seemed like she sort of doesn't see herself as a musician, when she is.
The bit about the breakdown was awfully sad, as was when he called himself a drug addict. (He elaborates a bit more on this in a pitchfork interview, I must find it and put it here).

 

[FrankieTeardrop]

Got there just after nine and had missed Atlas Sound. Grrrr......!!

 

[sweetoblivion]

Atlas Sound was ok...I was there with Daydream Nation and as she said, it would be better on record than live. As he was ill and sitting down, you wouldn't have even known someone was on stage unless you asked someone or could get up the front! I just thought it was a dj till I spotted him, ha!

 

[Richie]

Yeah his gig was a bit of a non-event unfortunately, think he was fairly sick though.. at the Deerhunter gig last night he was pale and sweating (not that he looks hale 'n' hearty at the best of times) and kept asking them to turn the lights down, stepped away from the mic a few times to recover his breath. Bronchitis or something.. That Low doc is quite touching viewing alright, I'd never really realised how conflicted the band were about the division between their religious devotions \ family life and their profession.. Alan especially seems to have a bit of an ongoing crisis in justifying the value of what he does. The bit where he was talking about the possibility of someday being called on to kill by God was frightening, and sad, considering what gentle and well-adjusted people they seem to be in most respects.

 

[sweetoblivion]

That Low doc is quite touching viewing alright, I'd never really realised how conflicted the band were about the division between their religious devotions family life and their profession.. Alan especially seems to have a bit of an ongoing crisis in justifying the value of what he does. The bit where he was talking about the possibility of someday being called on to kill by God was frightening, and sad, considering what gentle and well-adjusted people they seem to be in most respects.

Yep I never realised that either, I suppose I totally underestimated the strength of their belief in their faith. A lot of what Alan said was hugely influenced, as he said, in the Mormon belief that these are the 'latter days' and that the world could literally 'end' at any time.

And it's clear he believes the current economic situation in the USA (which he also mentioned on stage in Dublin) and recent wars, etc, points to the fact that now is the time that a sort of 'apocalypse' is happening.

For someone so gentle, kind and sensitive, it was sad to hear him say things like that. I think perhaps the root to it is his uber-sensitivity to things. Add to this his unwavering faith in the Mormon teachings and he must spend every day worrying. Plus he seems to feel tremendous guilt about using drugs and being a Mormon. Which I think is why he calls himself an addict - perhaps other people who use weed as much as he does (daily) wouldn't call themselves addicts, but for him he latches on to that word.

What he said about being the antichrist was so utterly sad.

You just wish he would realise he is not a bad person, he is OK as he is and he is not responsible for bad things which go on in the world. If only he could see the good that he does and the joy he brings to other people through his music, and to his family. But that's what happens when you struggle with mental health issues or depression - you simply can't always see the good that's out there.

 

[ddmurph]

(though anybody who only had the first 3 or 4 Low albums might have been slightly shocked at the guitar hero-isms)

i popped along to this after jandek. haven't really listened to low much since trust and wasn't really gone on some of the more "rock-out" parts. still though, there was plenty of high-points ... amazing grace was incredible. didn't really pick up on any major discomfort from alan s to be honest. on the contrary, i thought he was looking much better than i had expected

 

[sweetoblivion]

I didn't realise you were there DD!

amazing grace was savage! I was listening to some old stuff that I hadn't heard in a while last night and was reminded of how much I love the really old tracks like Words and Lullaby. Would kill to hear them played.

 

[rettucs]

i popped along to this after jandek. haven't really listened to low much since trust and wasn't really gone on some of the more "rock-out" parts. still though, there was plenty of high-points ... amazing grace was incredible. didn't really pick up on any major discomfort from alan s to be honest. on the contrary, i thought he was looking much better than i had expected

me either. I thought he was in great form. It was an amazing gig, as is usual from them.

Didn't see the first act, and didn't think a whole lot of Atlas Sound. He didn't help himself though. As sweetoblivion said, hardly anyone could see him.

 

[sweetoblivion]

I swear I'm not mental lads, I was right up the front a few feet from him and could see him very clearly... (I'm not saying ye're wrong, it's just in case anyone thinks I'm making this shit up!)

Atlas Sound got better towards the end, when it got more poppy, imho.

 

[daydream_nation]

thought alan s seemed pretty distressed as well. not for the encores though i think he was feeling the love at that stage. there was such a good atmosphere and the sound was great...was worth the wait to see them.

i think atlas sound would be something i could enjoy on record, didnt realise he was playing til we got up the front and saw him. am gonna try and pick up the album.

 

[pavlos]

Just saw a bootleg of this up on dimeadozen (minus the encores)...

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=201476

You need to be registered on it to download, but I'm sure it will end up here eventually

http://www.archive.org/details/LowMusic

 

[sweetoblivion]

yeah I think someone on the mailing list thingy was putting it on archive.org!

 

[Jim Daniels]

Did Mimi do any/ much solo stuff at the gig? I could listen to her all day....

Her lovely short song, Kindly Blessed, from the Box Set, is completely perfect. And she knocked it off in 5 mins one night, while doing the dishes....

 

[sweetoblivion]

Nope, no solo stuff A few of us shouted for Lullaby though...god I remember reading that in the box set inlay about that song, I was like, what?! I could listen to her all day too Her voice is amazing. So natural.

I'd kill to hear Peanut Butter Toast & American Bandstand live.