Echo and the Bunnymen, the velveteen rabbits rock out at Coachella 2010
http://www.examiner.com/x-36822-LA-Rock ... hella-2010
In the story of The Velveteen Rabbit, a cute stuffed rabbit becomes real by being loved to pieces and then wishing really hard. In 1978, Echo and the Bunnymen were a bunch of innocent teens seeking to be the greatest band in the world. It was part bravado, but partly accomplished back in the 80s. At the peak of their popularity, they fell to pieces. In 1997, they reunited, and since then have continued to be loved to pieces. But are they real yet?
Critical fans still long for the old days when the Bunnymen were creatures from a mysterious realm somewhere between lower heaven and higher hell. Lead singer Ian McCulloch's youthful looks, high hair do, and deep baritone voice seemed to be leading all on a great adventure through vast icy fields and deep blue oceans.
The Bunnymen took the Outdoor stage at Coachella around the same time as Them Crooked Vultures had quite a few songs left on their set. The opening strains of Will Sergeant's solo on “Rescue” thrilled all in attendance, causing quite a few to rush closer to the stage. They looked again like those mysterious creatures from another world swathed in occluding smoke and lowered blue lighting; miles away from the fabulous pinks and golds of Vampire Weekend which followed.
Will Sergeant originated the idea of shoe gaze. His guitar work is forever bitingly clear, undistorted, musical and accurate. Musically speaking, Sergeant's guitar work remains the band's main draw. He never cracks a smile, never says a word, and mostly shows the top of his thick head of hair, but he seems satisfied. They've always been understated performers.
McCulloch's voice and performance came across as solid, still capable of hitting highs and lows. His vocals now are more raw and grungy, but still powerful. It's hard not to miss what they were. Yes, he was a bit flat at times, but that's nothing new.
Perhaps if he laid off the obligatory mid-performance ciggie and chain-smoking, it might help restore some of that voice. And please, knock off the knock knock jokes. Yorrick Hunt isn't a real name, it's a ephemism for something naughty. Some of us got it and it was rather lame.
What McCulloch and the Bunnymen do that no one else does is sing other related songs in the middle of their compositions like dropping into the Doors “Roadhouse” during “Villiers Terrace” or Lou Reed's “Take a Walk on the Wild Side” during “Nothing Ever Lasts Forever.”
Kudos go to the keyboardist who displayed great skill and musicality on the Ray Manzarek styled “Bedbugs and Ballyhoo.” The nonsensical tune pleased the crowd and was one of their best of the “greatest hits” evening.
The rest of the band was solid, but obviously not in the same way as the original members. The most dedicated fans still long for Les Pattinson on bass and Pete DeFreitas on drums. They were an unparalleled and underrated rhythm section in their time who contributed greatly to the Bunnymen sound in how they played and how they filled out the songs the Bunnymen wrote together. Pattinson's bass possessed it's own groovy, offbeat, melodic and musical style. DeFreitas's style on drums ranged from delicate to doomy with minimal cymbals. Sadly, DeFreitas was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1989. Pattinson now plays with The Wild Swans at night with an old school chum while building boats in Liverpool during the day.
The Bunnymen plan to tour with songs from their early albums, Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here. HUH made it to the Rolling Stone 500 Best Albums of All Time list. Predicatably, they played nothing off the Fountain, their 2009 effort. Here's hoping they get back to their ephemeral roots for the next one.
by black francis » Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:50 am 
