Feelies Live

[hsu@uicsrd.CSRD.UIUC.EDU (William Tsun-Yuk Hsu)]

Yet another concert review from Champaign, Illinois...


THE FEELIES at TRITO'S, 9/25

After reading all the wild stories about these guys I just had
to check them out (well, it was also cheap, $2.) They were almost
punctual at 11 pm... look a little more quasi-REM and pseudo-trendy
than I expected. First two songs were pretty hohum, kind of (in this
case pre-REM) jangly acoustic guitar and a little tasteful lead guitar,
and I was beginning to feel guilty I talked John into going to
see them. 

Then the Feelies REALLY started playing. And I suddenly realized 
they had two percussionists (how many jangly guitars you can name
do?) John had the perfect label: "speed folk." This is the
fastest jangly guitar music you'll ever hear. Imagine a raw
REM who's really a hardcore band at heart, with a superb NOISY
lead guitarist who unfortunately doesn't play all that many solos,
and quasi-folk rock you can thrash to, and you'll get an idea of
the Feelies. 

They played four encores: great covers of Neil Young, Beatles,
Monkees and this great Velvet Underground medley with Run Run Run
and What Goes On. They lull you into a false sense of security
with slow, jangly figures and then jump into thrashing passages 
at warp speed, without batting an eyelash. Don't miss them.

Bill Hsu