Stereolab: Classic or Dud

I think I'm safe waiting until tomorrow, but maybe I'll regret that. I think one if the guys who plays keyboards for them does backing vocals, I'd be surprised if they added another female vocalist, but it would be great if they did.

it's LABLIVE19 for the artist presale

I got tickets! Seeing them for the first time at First Ave in October. Can't wait! I had a bit of a wait due to the initial demand but got through after five minutes or so.

Just snagged Detroit tickets (I'm assuming no Chicago date because they'll be announced as headlining Pitchfork...) – never been to that venue before, so I hope it's dece!

Very excited, never got to see them when I was getting into them 2002-06 or so.

yeah they weren't listen on the LABLIVE page because first ave uses ticketmaster. i bet 200-300 superfans all got their tickets immediately and it might take a little bit for it to sell out. they also have the next night open and often first ave adds second gigs for bands like this

*listed, and first ave uses extix. geez

I just tried SF tickets (Live Nation) which were supposed to open 3 minutes ago, and they're all sold out.

time for a new DN

i think all of north america opened at 10 eastern, not 10 local

FWIW Denver tickets (which I got hold of, it'll be my first time in Denver) opened on the dot at 5pm UK time which I think is 10am MST and I'm 99% sure that Minneapolis was an hour before that.

I don't think they were going to sell out, but I bought tickets for the Austin show anyway.

Leee -- have you tried again? It took me a couple of minutes but then presale worked. (See folks there on Oct. 19)

they were pretty clear that it was open at 10am EST, but it still didn't open until 10am in MN (CST). weird stuff. hope you folks manage to snag one, i feel like they have a few days off here and there, maybe they will add more shows

Also doing some thinking here and this will be my...ninth time seeing them, I think. (Possibly tenth, but I'm not positive.) I do know I saw pretty much every album tour aside from ETK, which still bugs me (had to be out of town for a radio meeting -- and I missed not only Prolapse as an opener, but Sonic Boom joined Stereolab for the encore, IIRC!).

Should say every album tour from Transient on.

just got brooklyn tix, the presale code they emailed was wrong

I saw them in Seattle at the Showbox but now I can't remember which year it was, def before 2005

I thought Lions Of Batucada opened but I am clearly wrong (?)

think this'll be my fourth time seeing them. not sure. I saw them at least twice.

Leee -- have you tried again? It took me a couple of minutes but then presale worked. (See folks there on Oct. 19)

Huh, that was annoying! Presale worked just now, I'm also doing 10-19, this'll be the first concert I've gone to in almost 2 years!

DO IT AKM.

This will be my second ever Groop show, caught them on the Chemical Chords tour.

yeah I'm going on the 19th also.

The only time I've seen them was in Detroit in 2000, opening for Sonic Youth. Really wanted to see them in '97 with Mouse on Mars, but I was in a college play that night.

With no Chicago date announced, I have to assume they're playing Pitchfork, but I'm kind of tempted to drive up to Milwaukee.

Was hearing Riot Fest might be the alternate Chicago option.

Really wanted to see them in '97 with Mouse on Mars, but I was in a college play that night.

The LA date for that tour was a hell of a thing -- at the El Rey, packed out crowd, one of the biggest venues they ever played as a headliner that I saw, at least. Thanks to chance, Mouse on Mars *and* the High Llamas opened (they had played a really great set themselves the previous night). And at one point in line I turned around and John C. Reilly was right behind me! (Which, since we'd all just seen Boogie Nights on its theatrical run, was a bit disorienting. It was even more disorienting years later when I saw a multistory banner for Walk Hard near Amoeba in LA.)

'97 tour was the only time i've seen them. alas, for me, as i was less into dots & loops than previous records. good show tho

i hope they play Peng! start to finish and nothing else

seconded

Add first Switched On to Peng! and I would be perfectly happy.

i've never seen them and had basically assumed i'd never get to in my life, so i'm STOKED! Snagged tickets for the first SF date. :)

I only saw them in Central Park. With John Cale.

No true. I saw them in a church in Oberlin.

Quit braggin, dan! ;)

Saw them play in '93 with Unrest : )

did you buy the tour single?

Did I! Mountain is probably my favorite Stereolab song ever.

Saw them play in '93 with Unrest : )

Same here! The show was on YouTube for a while. Idaho also opened for them both -- a very 1993 SoCal show.

I never saw them, despite being a fan since '98. I'm hoping given Laetitia's unhappiness with the latter days of the band that they manage to enjoy themselves. Disappointed at the word that they're not planning new material.

Any advice for someone's first time at the show? Many thanks from an unexperienced high schooler who's been knocking myself out to Lab songs for the past three years or so and has pledged my allegiance to the band forever.

Wow what a great bill xp

Bring earplugs (but that holds for any gig).

Was hearing Riot Fest might be the alternate Chicago option.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, February 21, 2019 1:23 PM (eight hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

That would make more sense with the tour schedule, given that Riot Fest is the weekend before the tour begins. But I'd still be surprised -- they don't seem like a natural fit for the Riot Fest aesthetic.

They often played gigs that were stacked with phenomenal bands. A few I saw over the years:

Lab/Drive Like Jehu/Prolapse/Flying Saucer Attack - Electric Ballroom
Sebadoh/Lab/Yo La Tengo/Quickspace - Shepherds Bush Empire
Lab/Tortoise/Broadcast - Forum
Sonic Youth/Lab/Unwound - Berlin, Washing Machine/ETK Era

Etc. Sonic Boom played with them at some.of these. I think the deal with Sonic was he would show up at random gigs and set up at the side of the stage. He'd then improvise over the top with various electronics, theremin, etc. I don't think they ever knew whether or not he'd show up. Also, kudos to their soundman Simon, who would filter the whole band through a Moog at one point in the show. Those improvised moments really made it for me. They did lose a lot of that towards the end. The sense of adventure seemed to dissipate somewhere along the way.

I saw them in New Orleans in 96 but I can’t remember who opened. Thought it was Spring Heel Jack but I see DJ Spooky and UI opened in Houston just before the New Orleans show. If so, I remember none of their sets. Anyway, I made a Spotify playlist for the set list that night. https://open.spotify.com/user/brotherlovesdub/playlist/4VU1U7RhlLxqTJp8TvwfEa?si=ldVvGXmKRKyK4iDNXXXOLA

Was about to order tix for the Brussels date too, but I've a family weekend :-/

Saw them twice, once in 1997 (sheesh, 22 years ago..) and in 2004, both in Amsterdam. Unfortunately I can't even remember the opening acts, Lab were great on both accounts (though very different).

LBI, the nature of Stereolab fandom means that I can tell you that the second show you saw featured to Rococo Rot: http://koly.com/stereolab/tour.php?year=2004

Ha, thank you! :)

Got a ticket for the Dublin show!

v tempted by the glasgow show

I’ll be there but don’t let that put you off. Just don’t stand behind me

brb gonna buy a ticket and will stand in front of stet all night