Launch.com
March 30, 2001
The Soft Boys
Metro, Chicago
by Tim Sheridan
Reunion tours are typically depressing affairs: either a last-ditch play to milk some cash from fans of the glory days (think of The Sex Pistols) or a sad use of a once-revered name (think of almost any '60s band doing the county-fair circuit). But The Soft Boys were never big, just influential (think Velvet Underground or Big Star). And their return to the road after two decades of silence comes off as more of a labor of love than a scramble for dollars.
After taking the stage with a thundering rendition of the angular instrumental "You'll Have To Go Sideways", frontman Robyn Hitchcock welcomed the crowd with, "Welcome to our sweet 21st birthday party." He then led the original lineup of Kimberley Rew (guitar), Matthew Seligman (bass), and Morris Windsor (drums) through a terrific set of classics, primarily culled from the seminal Underwater Moonlight LP (just reissued in an excellent two-disc set from Matador).
Though they now sport their share of silver hair (most notably Rew's startlingly snowy mop-top), their enthusiasm for the material has not diminished. Indeed, they are inarguably the elder statesmen of Absurdist Rock. Songs like "He's A Reptile" and "Old Pervert" were delivered with aplomb, with jagged edges and mad guitar freakout duets between Rew and Hitchcock. The song "Underwater Moonlight" became a surreal meditation, with fine textures from the rhythm section.
All the while Hitchcock proved the able master of ceremonies, injecting such off-kilter patter as "Arthur Rimbaud said, 'I was another,' and he wasn't kidding," before "Queen Of Eyes" and dedicating a powerhouse "I Wanna Destroy You" to George W. Bush. But the most notable aspect of the evening was the freshness of the music, a unique blend of Velvet Underground foreboding, Dali-esque imagery, and Byrdsian harmonies. They even served up strong readings of VU's "Train 'Round The Bend" and The Byrds' "The Bells Of Rimney" as special treats. After a couple of fine encore sets (including the delightful "Rock 'n' Roll Toilet") the quartet took their leave. Good night indeed.
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