Spectacle

We went to a lackluster art event on the Stone Arch Bridge this weekend and got me thinking about what makes a good spectacle. The event promised 'follies' and other happenings over a 24 hour period but the best we saw was people dressed in historical garb riding Segways.

I have seen a lot of good spectacles in my life and I started thinking about all the bands that I've seen multiple times in different eras of my life- the kind of bands that if they are playing OF COURSE you will go see them. Some of these may not ring any bells but the names alone are very evocative. Here's a sampling:

High School
Urban Guerillas
The Wallets
Trip Shakespeare
The Replacements
Husker Du
Libido Boyz
Soul Asylum

College
Tikkler
Slack
Smegma
Viscious Wally

College Part Deux/Mid-Twenties
God Bullies
The Cows
Jesus Lizard
Milk
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Adulthood
The Soviettes
Anchorhead
Slug
The Jayhawks
Sleater Kinney

There are plenty of other great bands that don't play as much or as memorably. These are a few that go beyond just playing the record and inspire an energy that makes the live show fun.