The Dream Syndicate playing at Colectivo.
For fans of well-written songs framed by loud guitars, Colectivo’s Back Room was the place to be Thursday, May 30.
Chicago’s Eleventh Dream Day peaked commercially in the heyday of college radio, but the band never fully went away, choosing to release an album every few years when the mood struck. Opening the evening, the quintet set the scene with a near-instrumental influenced by German improvisational rock bands of the ’70s. But it didn’t take long before they reverted back to the musical conflagrations that gained them notoriety.
It’s been too many years since we were reminded just how powerful Janet Beveridge Bean’s drumming and wailing vocals can be. Frontman Rick Rizzo’s possessed guitar soloing was balanced by his stream-of-consciousness vocals, especially on “Tarantula.” Jim Elkington’s slide guitar and volume swells lent atmospheres ranging from billowy to manic. Bassist Douglas McCombs and keyboardist Mark Greenberg provided a supple rhythm section that read the songs expertly.
Over 30 years ago—on Nov. 30, 1988, to be exact—the Dream Syndicate levitated the Odd Rock Café. They had not been back since, but on this night they more than made up for lost time. Opening with a clutch of new tunes, Steve Wynn and company reeled off slow-burn selections from These Times.
Guitarist Jason Victor’s solos recalled Karl Wallenda, venturing far out on a musical highwire before finding his way back to the songs. Victor and Wynn’s six string sparring was among the best witnessed in a long time. Founding member, drummer Dennis Duck and longtime bassist Mark Walton locked in allowing the guitarists musical Rorschachs to bloom.
After performing so much new material, as well as nuggets from the classic debut LP The Days of Wine and Roses and the semi obscure “50 in a 25 Zone,” Wynn graciously asked what the audience wanted to hear. Honoring several requests for “Merrittville,” they left an audience wondering what just hit them.
|
|
