The Royal Festival Hall
South Bank Centre, London
27th September 2000
Performing for their 25th anniversary, Pere Ubu delivered such a marvelous performance as to bring me around to wondering why I don’t listen to this band everyday. And why are they not lauded as the one of the best of the last quarter century? Why is Pere Ubu not a household word? Just as well really, as they do inspire that very possessive cult underground sort of attitude among their fine stock of fans. Not many other bands since could dismiss their powerful influence, and most worth a shit have happily given credit where credit is due.
However up and down the reception of Pere Ubu has been over the last 25 years, the Royal Festival Hall definitely got a good dose of the up. Dave Thomas led the band through an alphabetical play list of all the best songs, highlighted of course by “30 Seconds Over Tokyo”, “Cry”, “Final Solution”, “Monday Morning” and “Wasted”. Honestly, it is difficult to define a showstopping moment, as every song rang true to the darkest places inside. The music was as melodically abrasive as ever, with a key instrument being Mr. Thomas’ shiny red apron all geared up with microphones which he used to get feedback off every available surface. Pere Ubu never sounds as simple as a guitar/bass band. There is too much distortion and noise and weird horn blowing and the rythyms are shot through with Pop beats, but also shot up with an adrenaline urge that keeps their sound so off mainstream. Dave Thomas has always had that way of telling stories over the noise and his voice still does reach and pull right into the heart of matters. While he is not necessarily the most approachable person of all time off stage, Mr. Thomas communicates in ways so personal as to create familiarity. His brand of dark humour and razor sharp irony seemed to speak especially well on Wednesday night, all the way to the final crowd surge during an inspired encore set which saw Wayne Kramer of MC5, fresh from his support slot, join the band for a pelting celebration of “Worlds In Collision”.
It is very hard to explain just how good Pere Ubu are live. Seeing them ten years ago or tonight feels the same way with this unmistakable realization of having witnessed something really great, ultimately important in the scheme of musical history. They are truly a band that spans their 25 years of recording with hands laid onto every genre of music in that time. It is mastery really, and still so touching to the soul.
