Pitchfork Stereolab

I've only seen Stereolab live in concert once, in 1996 to promote Emperor Tomato Ketchup. Whilst I was aware of the band and liked their singles, it was this gig and album that kick started a love of their music that continues to this day. 

Stereolab went on a decade-long hiatus in 2009 and continued with individual pursuits, but have since resumed touring, although (as far as I can tell) there hasn't been a post-reformation album or EP. 

I've just revisited a performance at the Pitchfork Festival, Union Park in Chicago on 20th July 2019. I would have sworn that I've posted about this previously but a trawl of this blog has come up empty so here we are.

It's a relatively short set of seven songs, a little over 40 minutes, but it captures everything I love about Stereolab. In keeping with Stereolab's M.O., whilst most are short and snappy leftfield pop "hits" - Miss Modular, French Disko, John Cage Bubblegum - half of the set is given to just two songs. However, when the first song is Metronomic Underground, the pulsing, groovy opener to Emperor Tomato Ketchup, then it all makes sense. The second, Lo Boob Oscillator, was a US-only single in 1993 and greatly expanded its reach when included on the soundtrack to the film adaptation of High Fidelity in 2000. Both are an immersive delight and could easily go on and on and on.

 

Laetitia Sadier looks fantastic in a flowing, multi-coloured pleated dress and cheap plastic sunglasses. Tim Gane and the rest of the band have frankly made less of an effort but more than make up for it with their playing. It's a joy to watch from start to finish.

 

What is notably - and intentionally - absent from the line up here is a another female band member. I was lucky enough to see Stereolab when Mary Hansen was a member; she was tragically killed in 2002, hit by a truck when cycling in London and her loss in keenly felt. Not just a counterpoint to Sadier's vocals, Mary added another dimension to Stereolab for the brief decade that she was a member, contributing to some of their finest moments.

 

I'll come back to the 1996 Stereolab gig in a future post and possibly a selection (undoubtedly the first of several) before then.

 

Stereolab released expanded versions of their back catalogue albums a few years ago and you can buy digital (and in some cases physical) copies via Bandcamp. The Switched On series of rarities compilations (currently at volume 5) is also highly recommended.