Pere Ubu

You have to know what Pere Ubu is all about to understand what you see and hear. Otherwise it might be too much to comprehend all at once.

But David Thomas is still great. Between song patter made it worthwhile by itself. Plus he played the old hits at the end which he didn't have to do to make it great. New album is more noise than tuneful but sill classic Ubu.

Astounding. This show is simply not to be missed! Hope they return soon.

Pere Ubu is one of those amazing bands that defies real categorization. As a fan who has seen them many times since their reformation in the late 1980s, I can honestly say that this new American tour, which I saw at Bowery Ballroom was a sweet, small revelation. David Thomas and the band kicked some old songs up the road, and gave me an appreciation for the most recent material. Our friends who came to the show had never seen Ubu before, and they really liked the whole shebang as well.

Once again David Thomas and friends shared the future of rock and roll with the few enlightened members of NY society. Or as Thomas put it, "old guys with pony tails but no hair on top, people like me." There were also an assortment of younger old guys in the making and about 6 women. Thomas dedicated two songs to the ladies because, "for every woman that comes 6 others come with her. Every old guy that comes loses 3 potential audience members." His new songs are even more contemplative and drone based than in the past and many have a less combative edge, although most of his introductions continue to bait the audience. After the first tune he said "I used to thank the audience, then I realized they should be thanking me." Whereupon many old dudes in the audience shouted "thank you!" and Thomas gruffly beamed. He also had an entertaining story of being the opening band for Kool and the Gang. That's where he learned the importance of appealing to the ladies. Favorite moment: When Thomas, sitting in his chair, began rocking back and forth, chanting "Baby (or David) want beer, baby want beer" until finally Mahlman, the drummer, went to the bar and brought back 4 bottles, opened them with a drumstick, gave him one and he complained, "I don't drink beer out of a bottle." Then continued with the show.