Philip Fibiger

What is better than a 45 year old drunk ex-elementary school teacher strutting around on stage, doing high leg kicks, swinging his microphone like Roger Daltrey, raising his beer in salute to the audience, drinking like a fish, smoking like a chimney, and singing in a bit of a faux-british accent? The answer is, not fucking much. Guided by Voices played the House of Blues last night, and I’d been waiting to see them for seven years. They did not disappoint! Two hours of old classics and new songs, plus an encore. I think that Bob Pollard consumed at least 8 beers while he was on stage, maybe more. Even when he got to the point where he’d forget which albums songs were on, he still remembered all the lyrics to each song, and he could still dance around like a maniac without falling down.

Now, I’m not a Guided By Voices completist by any means (and damn, would that be hard. The Fading Captain series alone has what, 19 records? Add at least a dozen GBV records, a couple Bob Pollard solo records, and innumerable EPs, and you realize that it would be near impossible). I do consider myself a big fan, and while this isn’t my favorite incarnation of GBV (the Alien Lanes era band is), these guys rocked. They even took people’s ids and checked them, and then handed out beer they had on stage. Bob Pollard has great stage presence, and happily interacts with the audience. This one’s from an old album called Bee Thousand! Do you know why we called it Bee Thousand? (Audience Silence) Hold your tongue between your fingers and try to say Pete Townshend!

Jack Black and Kyle Gass were up at the railing during the show. Jack seemed really into the show, rocking out and clinking his beer bottle with the other GBV fans nearby.