On April 15^th, a tense uncertainty settled over the crowd at the Fox Theatre in Pomona as The Middle East’s tranquil set came to a close, and Stephen Malkus & company prepared for Pavement’s first concert in North America since their set at Coachella in 1999 (which featured a meltdown by front man Malkus). Whenever a band reunites after an extended hiatus, there is always the fear that they will sound unprepared and out of sync, ruining whatever lasting memory we had (think Michael Jordan’s two-year comeback for the Wizards from 2001-03. Sure he played above average, but I want my lasting image of Michael to be the iconic shot that won his 6^th title, not of him hobbling off the court in a Wizard’s uniform).

The set began slowly with “Silent Kit” as the crowd, with sanguine disbelief, sang along with Malkus for the first time in a decade. The anxiety that came with years of uncertain waiting quickly melted away as the pace picked up and Pavement transitioned to classics like “Frontwards”, followed by “No Life Singed Her”. Their music was tinged with the same passion and rawness they displayed all throughout their run in the 90s, and it became apparent that this reunion is not just a selfish money grab; all the guys still care about playing these songs and they were enjoying themselves as well. At one point, Scott Kannberg asked the crowd if they were happy to be there, noting he was happy to be there, too. The question is, will that enjoyment mean more music from Pavement. In one interview, Bob Nastanovich declared that the reunion tour is a one-time deal, but Kannberg was more hopeful, stating that “If [the reunion] is enjoyable for us, I think … we’ll make some more music.” With that being said, all throughout the concert, Malkus occupied the left part of the stage (at times, he was partially off the stage), visibly separate from the rest of the band. It’s difficult to say whether this is a sign of lingering feelings of dislike within the band, or if it’s simply one of Malkus’ idiosyncrasies.

In total, the set lasted well over two hours (including two encores) and featured a robust, 31 song selection that spanned the entirety of their discography. My one complaint would be that the crowd was much too subdued for most of the night, some people even left before the second encore could begin. Besides that minor criticism, the night lived up to everything I could have hoped for; it was nowhere near the “Coachella warm-up” that we in the audience secretly feared. The experience was made all the better due to the simple fact that this late addition to the tour schedule meant that I didn’t have to shell out $300+ dollars to go to Coachella, where it would have been possible for my last thoughts to have been “God I really hate house music…and hippies”, as I lied motionless on the polo fields of Indio Valley, waiting for the sweet embrace of death, at the hands of heat stroke, to wisp be away from the desert (I’m clearly not bitter).

As of now, Pavement’s reunion tour will only last a few more months, as the band makes stops at the Sasquatch Festival in Washington, the Greek Theatre in Berkley (June 25th), as well as several shows at Central Park. Their last scheduled show will be September 30, where they will play the Hollywood Bowl (their only other show in Southern California), with Sonic Youth and No Age; tickets will go on sale starting May 2^nd. I won’t hesitate to go to this next concert, regardless of price, because the experience was unforgettable, and there is no telling when Pavement’s reunion will ultimately end.

I’d also like to thank DJ Machil for letting us use her car when she was out of town. Listen to her show, Sweet Talk, Sundays 4-6pm.

-Pasha Dabiri, da Intern

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