I Just Read About That…

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 28, 2023] Built to Spill / Prism Bitch / Itchy Kitty

I saw Built to Spill twice last year.  I was surprised to see that they were touring again so soon, but it had been all of seven months.

This was supposed to have been a very busy concert week for me.  But after doing so much tree cutting and hauling this week, I was too tired to go even to see Doug and his band.

For the previous shows, the opening band was Blood Lemon which featured BTS bass player Melanie Radford. This time, one of the opening bands was Prism Bitch which BTS featured drummer Teresa Esguerra.

Prism Bitch was fantastic back in 2019.  They’d have been great to see live again.

The second opening band was Itchy Kitty.  Itchy Kitty are a band from Spokane, Wa. They specialize in a hyperkinetic blend of punk traditionalism and a sort of mangled glam rock pageantry. Their music careens from whiplash inducing riffage to flash delirium freak outs.  Originally, they were a cat-centered band with songs about cats and (if photos are correct) the drummer wearing a cat mask.  But now they just rock and scream and rawk.

I’m a little bummed about missing this, but I’m sure I’ll see them again.

 

 

The first time I saw him was at Union Transfer back in 2015 and he had a five piece band.  That was a couple of iterations ago and now he was back with a new band.

On this newly announced tour, his whole band was going to be different.  In fact, I have seen at least three different lineups for the band over the years.  This tour was going to feature drummer Teresa Esguerra of Prism Bitch (who opened for Built To Spill last time) and bassist Melanie Radford from openers Blood Lemon.

The last time I promised myself I wouldn’t get too close to the stage, but I did.  The problem with being so close is the way Doug Martsch has his guitar set up.  His amp is right next to him and it is so loud.  From where I was you could barely hear anything else.  Of course I’m there to watch Doug play, so it’s not too bad.  But I promised myself I would stand back to fully appreciate his band.

I love that Esguerra was on the side of the stage facing the other two (that’s how his band was set up with the previous trio as well).  This allowed for Esguerra  and Radford to communicate with each other while Doug was jamming.  And they had outstanding chemistry.

One thing that I love about a Built to Spill show is that you don’t really know what you’re going to hear.  He has a new album coming out, but he played songs from throughout his output.  And while there are some staples that he cycles through (I have heard two songs in four of the shows and one song at every show), he opened the set with a song I hadn’t heard him play before (and one that I really like) “Big Dipper.”

It’s fun to watch Doug Martsch up front as he seems like he is in another world, and it’s possible that he is.  He is enveloped in his guitar–playing incredible riffs and solos (his hands are really big).  And then keeping all of his pedals and gear right at hand’s level to manipulate as needed.

I hadn’t really gotten to see Radford much during Blood Lemon, but she totally let loose with Built to Spill.  Her bass playing was great and her sound was outstanding.  She also seemed to create some of the second-guitar melodies (instead of the bass lines) to make the songs sound even fuller. And then she would jump back with her hair flying a smile on her face.

I had seen Esguerra with Prism Bitch, but she was even more impressive tackling songs that I knew.  She was fast and powerful and seemed to be the engine pushing the songs forward not just keeping pace with them.

Radford and Esguerra were really enjoying themselves.  There were some songs that had long jamming sessions that they were clearly communicating with each other while Doug was jamming away on a solo.  Occasionally he smiled and what they were doing, all three in perfect synch.

They opened with “Big Dipper” which I hadn’t seen them play before. That was pretty sweet.  They followed with two great older songs “Stop the Show” which has some of my favorite guitar melodies and “The Plan,” the opening song of the first Built to Spill album I bought.

Doug and his then band played as the backing band for Daniel Johnston a few years ago.  I’ve never been a fan of Johnston and don’t understand why people gravitate to him.  It’s the only BtS album I won’t buy.  But I do admit that after hearing “Bloody Rainbow” a few times it has grown on me.

I absolutely love the song “So,” with its shifts and changes.  Indeed, I love all of the songs on these later albums.  “I’ve always enjoyed “Hindsight,” with its peculiar “what a bout Canada?” line.  And “Pat” is a ripping punk song that allows the whole trio to make a melodic racket, It’s short and fast and the whole band seems to get a real kick out of playing it.

He tends to throw in one or two older songs.  I don’t know if there’s some songs he never plays, but it’s always interesting to hear a song from the debut album.  I like that he followed it with his latest single, “Gonna Lose” which is pretty great and super catchy already.

Then came the cover of Cat Le Bon’s “Are You With Me Now?“  I’ve wanted to see Cate Le Bon for a long time and I keep missing her . This was a song I particularly like by here so it was cool to hear this cover.

It’s really interesting hearing the older songs next to the new ones.  If you listen on record, the older ones have a particular sonic quality that has changed over the years.  But live, “Never Be The Same” fits perfectly with “Stab,” especially when Doug does some fun soloing.

I love “I Would Hurt a Fly,” and live the song never ceases to be amazing.  The opening is slow and moody and then , just as it nears the end, it takes off in a cascade of wildness.  And Radford and Esguerra seemed to really enjoy going along for that ride with him.

One of the best songs to see Built to Spill play live is “Goin’ Against Your Mind,” which, when live, can get stretched out for what seems like hours of noodling and fun rhythms.   When Doug is experimenting with his guitar sounds, the rhythm section keeps up the relentless propulsion in such a great way.  They followed it and ended the set with “Carry the Zero,” everyone’s favorite built to Spill song (myself included).  Even though he has played it every time I’ve seen him, it still feels like a secret pleasure when he does.

The came back for an encore and played “Conventional Wisdom” another song that allows for Doug to noodle and experiment and just play around with his gear for as long as he wants.

Doug doesn’t say much.  usually an occasional Hi and how’s everybody and maybe he’ll introduce a cover song.  When it’s all over, he eventually waves goodbye. But he always feels very present.  He and his guitar are unmissable.  And this new line up is outstanding.

I was supposed to see them again in two days, but that seemed excessive.  But I did buy tickets for them again in September.  I’m curious to see how much has changed in four months of touring.

	2022, Union Transfer, PA
	Big Dipper [TNWWL]
	Stop the Show [PFNO] [2]
	The Plan [KILAS] [3]
	Bloody Rainbow (Daniel Johnston song)
	So [UM] [3]
	Hindsight [TINE] [2]
	Pat [TINE] [2]
	Three Years Ago Today [UAW] [2]
	Gonna Lose [WTWFYN]
	Are You With Me Now (Cate Le Bon cover)
	Never Be The Same [UM] [2]
	Stab [TNWWL] [2]
	I Would Hurt a Fly [PFNO] [4]
	Goin’ Against Your Mind [YiR] [4]
	Carry the Zero[KILAS] [5]
	encore
	Conventional Wisdom [YiR]

Ultimate Alternative Wavers (1993) [2 of 10 songs]
There’s Nothing Wrong with Love (1994) [5 of 13 songs]
Built to Spill Caustic Resin (1995) [1 of 5 songs]
The Normal Years (1996) [1 of 10 songs]
Perfect from Now On (1997) [5 of 8 songs]
Keep It Like a Secret (1999) [10 of 10 songs]
Ancient Melodies of the Future (2001) [1 of 10 songs]
You in Reverse (2006) [3 of 10 songs]
There Is No Enemy (2009) [3 of 11 songs]
Untethered Moon (2015) [6 of 10 songs]
When the Wind Forgets Your Name (2022)

2019, Starland Ballroom, NJ	2018, House of Independents, NJ
Time Trap [KILAS]	So [UM] [2]
Center of the Universe[KILAS] [2]	In the Morning [TNWWL]
The Plan [KILAS] [2]	Strange [AMOTF]
When Not Being Stupid is Not Enough [BTSCR]	On the Way [UM]
Bad Light [KILAS]	Stab [TNWWL]
You Were Right [KILAS] [3]	I Would Hurt a Fly [PFNO] [2]
Sidewalk [KILAS]	Understood (new?) [2]
Temporarily Blind [KILAS]	Reasons [TNWWL] [2]
Else [KILAS] [2]	Virginia Reel Around the Fountain (HALO BENDERS song) [2]
Carry the Zero[KILAS] [4]	Back on the Chain Gang (THE PRETENDERS cover)
encore	Kicked It In The Sun [PFNO]
Planned Obsolesence [HALO BENDERS song]	Goin’ Against Your Mind [YiR] [3]
In the Morning[TNWWL] [2]	Carry the Zero [KILAS] [3]
Living Zoo[UM] [2]	encore
I Would Hurt a Fly [PFNO] [3]	Broken Chairs [KILAS]
Waterloo Sunset (with Prism Bitch) [THE KINKS cover]	You Were Right [KILAS] [2]
Broken Chairs [KILAS] [2]

Ultimate Alternative Wavers (1993) [2 of 10 songs]
There’s Nothing Wrong with Love (1994) [4 of 13 songs]
Built to Spill Caustic Resin (1995) [1 of 5 songs]
The Normal Years (1996) [1 of 10 songs]
Perfect from Now On (1997) [5 of 8 songs]
Keep It Like a Secret (1999) [10 of 10 songs]
Ancient Melodies of the Future (2001) [1 of 10 songs]
You in Reverse (2006) [2 of 10 songs]
There Is No Enemy (2009) [3 of 11 songs]
Untethered Moon (2015) [6 of 10 songs]

2015, Union Transfer, PA	2016, Stone Pony, NJ
Goin’ Against Your Mind [YiR]	All Our Songs [UM]
Distopian Dream Girl [TNWWL]	Goin’ Thru (new?)
So [UM]	The Plan [KILAS]
Three Years Ago Today [UAW]	The First Song [UAW]
The Wait [YiR]	Reasons [TNWWL]
You Were Right [KILAS]	Joyride [NormalYears]
Mess With Time [YiR]	Some Other Song [UM]
Never Be The Same [UM]	Understood (new?)
How Soon Is Now? (THE SMITHS cover)	Hindsight [TINE]
Center of the Universe [KILAS]	Stop the Show [PFNO]
Pat [TINE]	Effigy (CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL cover)
I Would Hurt a Fly [PFNO]	Alright (new?)
Done [TINE]	Virginia, Reel Around the Fountain (HALO BENDERS song)
Carry the Zero [KILAS]	Else [KILAS]
encore	Carry the Zero [KILAS] [2]
Living Zoo [UM]	encore
Untrustable/Part 2 (About Someone Else) [PFNO]	Randy Described Eternity [PFNO]
	Goin’ Against Your Mind [YiR] [2]

 

For ease of searching, I include: Le Almeida (drums), Joao Casaes (bass) and Joao Luiz (guitar), Transfusao Noise Records, Orua.