When I first heard iconic rockers Pavement were embarking on a reunion tour excitement overwhelmed me. It sees them following in the foot steps of the Pixies and My Bloody Valentine, attempting the grand come back tour, endeavouring to once again connect with both old fans and a new generation of followers.The three acts have one major thing in common, each defined the alternative music scene when at the height of their success. However, more importantly their music has stood the test of time with strong cult followings and numerous accolades bestowed upon them.

Pavement emerged as the seminal American rock band of the nineties with a style born from humble beginnings in a home built recording studio. They are synonymous with the low-fi, D.I.Y. work ethic which captured their raw energy and playfulness ever so perfectly on debut album Slanted and Enchanted. The record is a timeless and brilliantly orchestrated slice of scattered guitars, thumping drum beats and poignant reflections from one of the most unconventional of front men, the visionary Stephen Malkmus. The band have fascinatingly discussed on numerous occasions their inability to actually play their instruments properly when they first got together. This is indicative of their calling card to the music industry, that creating compelling, influential music is not necessarily about how musically proficient you are but, how well you express what you know. It was Pavement’s sheer exuberance that changed the face of indie rock forever along with heavy reliance on creative expression and a passion for music. Surprisingly it was an old beat up nylon string guitar lying around Bob Nastanovich’s apartment which helped shape their early songs. Better sounding equipment might have detracted from the natural eccentricities the band managed to captured so memorably on the album. Gladly they have managed to carry this aura throughout their illustrious career and more importantly transcending into their live shows.

I was lucky enough to see this brilliance unfold first hand at the Enmore theatre recently and as I hoped Pavement blasted out a fair share of songs from Slanted and Enchanted. The live dynamic gave these songs a new life form which resulted in a frenzy of blistering guitars, humming and ringing with purpose. Never had I been privy to such a delightful experience as my ears soaked it all up. “In the Mouth a Desert”, “Summer Babe”, “Perfume V” and “No Life Signed Her” supplied the beautiful walls of guitar noise I had hoped for but, because it was Pavement additional improvisational jam freak outs were also part of the package. Watching them tear the stage up with the confidence of seasoned veterans and all that laid back swagger was truly spectacular.  It was as if the instruments and their bodies were working as one rhythmic unit, especially notable with Malkums. His guitar often dangled down past his waist, barely ever looking to the fret board for guidance as he instead instinctively felt his way through each song. The tracks they played from their most renowned album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain were equally satisfying, notably “Unfair” which included the best free-form jam session I have yet to witness. When Nastanovich grabbed his microphone and headed to the front of the stage then proceeded to scream like a man possessed my body shook with excitement as the crowd went wild.

Crowd favourites as you would expect were “Cut Your Hair”, “Gold Soundz” and “Stereo” which are the biggest hits they released in their careers. It felt quite surreal seeing them play those tracks, bringing back memories of watching the film clips on Rage. All the excitement provided by the upbeat songs was beautifully juxtaposed by the reflective, more nostalgic driven moments of the softer tracks seen on “Here”, “Silence Kid” and “Stop Breathin” which was one of the more memorable songs of the night. The crescendo of guitars and drums towards the end of it made a strong impression as did the mumbled vocal delivery of Malkmus.

The reason Pavement are so great is because they have the unique ability to evoke happiness and childish innocence but also the equally compelling feelings of sadness and heartache. Their identifiable boyish charm creates the perfect platform for Malkmus to deliver his bittersweet sentiments with conviction. The fact that he is far from being a classically competent vocalist in addition to the melodic and gritty sounding guitars are the reasons why their songs are instantly recognisable, aided by the use of alternate guitar tunings. Tracks they played from Wowee Zowee, most notably “Grounded”, “Father to a Sister of Thought”, “We Dance” and “Fight this Generation”  were a perfect reminder of just how experimental Pavement would get throughout their career. Malkmus has admitted to smoking a lot of pot during this time which undoubtedly influenced the abstract nature of the songs, dominated in superb guitar work from himself and also Spiral Stairs. All these elements have ensured Pavement’s journey into the upper echelon of musical genius over the years, and is why their live performances are known to be so dynamic with the Enmore show no exception.

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