Halloween with the Sonics at the Paramount. While some local old hipsters insisted they would never pay to see them at a place that large, delusionally holding out for a show at a more intimate local venue, a capacity crowd did enjoy the once in a lifetime chance to see this legendary band in Seattle. The Sonics more than lived up to expectations, though they did show some nervousness at first. Perhaps realizing this was an audience unlike any other they played for at their handful of shows over this past year in Europe since their reunion last year at New York’s Cavestomp. This crowd was made up of young and old; many who witnessed them for the first time at high school dances, and now enjoy them with their children and grandchildren. This was inevitably going to be a crowd that would have good reason to nitpick and analyze all aspects of their performance. However after the initial jitters, and the almost overwhelming solemnity of the introductions by Buck Ormsby and Little Steven, they relaxed and played a ripping good show.
There were some highlights of course but for me the best was the notable absence of the many rock luminaries that had been rumored as possible onstage bandwagon jumpers. Buck Ormsby mentioned many names that had been invited but wouldn’t be joining the band, and blessedly explained that they all said they wanted to watch The Sonics, not play with them. In the end it was just Kent Morrill (from the Wailers) who took lead vocals on a great version of Dirty Robber, nice choice as both bands tore up that song back in the day. And Steven Van Zant whose Garage Underground media empire has shone a light on The Sonics and introduced them to a whole new generation of fans while solidifying the reputation established among fellow musicians worldwide over the past four decades.
The songs and the sound were great, the band expert but not too polished, missing a few cues here and there; overall it was the right balance of skill and spontaneity. I had never been to a show in a venue that size that felt so intimate. The crowd was filled with friends and familiar faces, and surely the band felt the homecoming mood in the room. This was a night for Northwest Rock history and future, a reminder of our heritage, and a huge shout from fans of rock and roll for the future of our music. It would be hard to imagine any greater statement for young bands to take inspiration from than these hard working, non-careerist elders who defined a genre in Garage Rock that is perhaps more vital today than ever.