Guided By Voices Played The Stone Pony, 8/23/14 (PHOTOS)

The Club Is Open

Even if you've never seen Guided By Voices live (I hadn't.), you know that they like to knock a few back onstage. The placement of the large, blue cooler of Miller Lite looked almost as important during last night's pre-show setup as the organizing of cables or adjusting of mics. When the band took the stage, Bob Pollard brought with him a full bottle of Cuervo Gold; and bassist Greg Demos had a bottle of Chivas Regal. The audience at The Stone Pony and the countless numbers watching the livestream via Yahoo! Screen were in for a vintage performance.

Over the course of the two and a half hour set, Guided By Voices played what had to be 30-plus songs. The focus was on the two albums the band released this year -- Motivational Jumpsuit and Cool Planet -- and Bee Thousand, which turned 20 in 2014. Though, the band pulled from their entire discography, Pollard calling out each song and its associated album while using an 8.5 x 11 inch setlist / crib sheet absolutely covered in song titles. The level of tequila in that bottle got lower and lower, and empty bottles from that blue cooler began littering the stage. Two GBV techs spent a good portion of the set righting tipped bottles, picking up empties, and informing Demos and guitarist Mitch Mitchell that smoking was not allowed.

The die-hards along the rail with me sang and fist-pumped to the new songs with just as much enthusiasm as they did for songs like "Echos Myron," "My Valuable Hunting Knife," "The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory," "Goldstar for Robot Boy," "Teenage FBI," and "I Am A Scientist." There was a guy behind me that kept on shouting, "Game of Preeeeeks!" I got sweet relief when the band finally played the song. Everyone along the rail also laughed along with Pollard as that tequila got lower and his stage banter got more long-winded.

During the show's much more drunken second half, Pollard confessed to, maybe, over-doing it -- even for him -- as a result of being nervous about the livestream and the fact that his wife and his cats could watch the whole show. The band interspersed songs with Pollard's speechifying. He repeatedly declared "I'm 56-fucking years old. I can do whatever the fuck I want." He pronounced encores a ridiculous convention (I, mostly, agree.), saying that the band -- of 56 year olds -- wouldn't be leaving the stage only to climb back up again. He made the band play "I Am A Scientist" a second time. He lost his balance and fell as he left the stage.

I'd moved to the back from my position along the rail to cool off a bit towards the end of the show. I watched "Motor Away" from outside. Even people who had seen Guided By Voices many, many times told me that last night was one for the books.

You don't go to a Guided By Voices show expecting a tight, highly professional recitation of the band's extensive discography. Their shows famously can become drunken and rowdy affairs. Last night was one of those. But when they are playing those songs -- selections from what has to be the thousands of 90-second indie/power pop masterpieces written by Pollard (and some by guitarist Tobin Sprout) -- it's almost like you experience a little mind alteration of your own, whether or not you've had a single drink.

I always bring the point and shoot when I go to The Stone Pony. Here are some highlights.