Touch And Go Block Party Review

Touch And Go’s 25th Anniversary
Hideout Block Party, Chicago
September 8th through 10th, 2006

The weekend felt like the prom most of the graying punks never bothered to attend or a family reunion with more piercings and tattoos than a biker rally. Touch And Go, Chicago’s venerable independent record label, turned 25 years young and decided to throw itself a three day bash that quietly became the do-not-miss festival of the summer.

Hosted by The Hideout — another of the city’s musical (and drinking) institutions, who were also celebrating an anniversary (their 10th) — the blow-out boasted a stellar lineup from T&G’s current roster (Calexico, The Ex, Shellac) as well as a whole host of one-off reunions from catalog royalty like Big Black, Scratch Acid, Killdozer, Man Or Astroman?, and Girls Against Boys.

Against the backdrop of a picture-perfect late summer evening The Shipping News kicked off Day One, pounding out their brand of post-rock anguish on one of two stages situated in a vacant parking lot. Surrounded by Streets And Sanitation vehicles and Shawshank-esque prison yard chain-link, the location proved to be an appropriate setting for the label’s lets-roll-up-our-sleeves way of conducting business. Supersystem followed, taking punk aggression and welding it to herky-jerky synths and massive bottom end bedrock.

The first of many heavily hyped reunions, Girls Against Boys sounded as if they’d just emerged from an early-’90s cryogenic tank. Facelift tight and working the sexy-grunge angle before it was fashionable (actually, was it ever?), the band stormed through the landmark 1993 album Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby in its entirety.

Ted Leo + Pharmacists are so new to the label they have yet to deliver an album. But that didn’t stop the over-caffeinated trio from debuting a handful of tuneful, politically-charged agrit-pop and a glorious reworking of the Stiff Little Fingers’ gem “Suspect Device.” First day headliners !!! (pronounced chk chk chk) proved you can simultaneously kill the hippie dream and still dance to its funky-ass soundtrack.

Friday’s appetizer gave way to Saturday’s four-star main course. Rick Sims and a reassembled Didjits snarled their way through should’ve-been-FM-classics like “Killboy Powerhead” and “Evel Knievel,” delivered with enough rock-star swagger to agitate random hecklers and non-believers.

Austin’s Scratch Acid, fronted by indie rock hellion David Yow, more than lived up to the anticipation. Although Yow’s penchant for abusing his sinewy frame was kept at a minimum, he somehow managed to make guzzling Budweiser and a self-induced wedgie play as high art.

But the moment everyone was waiting for was the return of the hugely influential Big Black. Formed in the ’80s by underground iconoclast Steve Albini, the notoriously unwilling reunion participant agreed to regroup with original guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati.

With his acerbic wit and dry delivery, Albini stated, “I know what you’re thinking: ’What’s the big deal?’” He then added, “Believe me, it was a lot cooler back in the ’80s.” It was the only time he’d be wrong all evening. Plowing through a mini set that included “Cables,” “Dead Billy,” “Kill Pigeon” and “Racer X,” the trio quickly reminded the faithful how far ahead of the curve they were and how others since have taken what Big Black founded and severely diluted it until fit for mass consumption.

The emphasis all weekend was on the music. But what else was being celebrated was a certain individual. Corey Rusk, owner and originator of Touch & Go has never operated in a conventional manner. As much a friend and fan to the bands who record for his label, he’s always done right by the music and the artists who create those sounds. Profits, spreadsheets, and all other commerce seem to be a necessary afterthought. So while it’s easy to cynically grouse and say these reunions were indie rock’s version of dinosaurs cashing in, even the most callous of scribes has to recognize the genuine admiration Rusk’s co-conspirators have for him. Besides, the catalog these bands leave behind is proof enough that they were so ahead of their time, they’re standing behind you. That said, the entire weekend was less about looking over your shoulder. Actually, it resulted in a trip back to the future.

— Curt Baran

On Sunday — depicted as the day for the label’s future — yet another reunion took place with unheralded Arcwelder. Once a fitting tourmate for Jawbox, the power trio pasted chunky pre-grunge, post-Hüskers alt-rock from their whole career, especially from Xerxes and Entropy. It wasn’t enough to chase the rain off the crowd, which would last until late afternoon, but a fitting salute to a bygone, key era for Touch And Go.

Not so “key” were Quasi. Fawned over because of drummer Janet Weiss, who until recently split time with Sleater-Kinney, the real impresario is her ex-husband/Elliott Smith’s Heatmiser bandmate Sam Coomes. Not so much a performer as someone who must think “I’m the guy on stage now,” Quasi’s set was easily the weekend’s worst and merely an excuse for Coomes to bang tunelessly on his keyboard. Obnoxiously louder than just about every other band who played, it wasn’t until he came forward with a guitar and “Seven Years Gone” that his inclusion began to make the least bit of sense.

Mid-afternoon sets by Monorchid (reunited only recently), Enon, and Three Mile Pilot (never actually a T&G band; members became Black Heart Procession) flew by until a brief solo set by Tara Jane O’Neil (ex-Rodan) established the tone for the evening’s eclipse. Accompanied by another guitarist, she picked gently before bursting into squalls of noise, using the blanket of grey up above to add to the uncertainty.

Eventually the specter of rainfall would subside, though maintain a steely backdrop for reformed Seam. An instant pleasure for their hardcore fans, Seam’s detached indie rock failed to be as absorbing as it was years ago; something in their dynamics created more friction than streaming ambience. Discord was everything to Todd Trainer, aka Brick Layer Cake, who used his 15 minutes to rant atonally — over seemingly random power chords — about the pleasures of rock stardom. Brick Layer Cake was arguably the low point of the festival, not because of Trainer, but Corey Rusk’s decision not to join him onstage robbed the weekend of a rumored surprise.

Touch And Go’s heavyweights closed Sunday; Calexico, Pinback, and The Black Heart Procession offered standard sets focusing on their latest albums, save a shock cover of Tom Petty’s “You Got Lucky” by BHP. Stealing the day, however, between BHP and Pinback, were CocoRosie. Otherwise known as the Casady sisters, the cryptic bedroom pop duo imbued the songs from their enigmatic, toy-instrument laden albums with a sexuality heretofore unforseen. Beatboxing at a Touch And Go party? That’s how fucked up — and great — the weekend was.

— Steve Forstneger

Category: Live Reviews, Weekly