Guided By Voices

GbV is tough act to top. If you like rock music with no suck, then these guys are for you. It takes a little time to understand how good this simplicity is, but when you get it you are hooked. Opens the door to much more as well. Take back your musical sensibilities and go see a GbV show!!

Fantastic show by the greatest band of the past 2 decades! The Bluebird is an awesome venue and these guys totally rocked it!

The concert event of the year lived up to the hype. This was my fourth time to see Guided by Voices live, but never with this, the "original recipe" lineup, though, and let me tell you: PHENOMENAL. They dug deep, mining their golden era tracks from '93-'96 mostly. Those hoping to hear newer GbV material were out of luck. Actually, no one was out of luck at this show! With minimal stage banter, the band absolutely plowed and pummeled their way through most of the tracks on their best albums; a staggering amount of ground covered at their trademark, breakneck pace. Tobin Sprout got to sing some of his great tracks as well, including the incredible "Awful Bliss." The whole night was sprinkled with rarely performed (if ever) older tracks that played to the hardcore fans, which in this case was most of the crowd. And what a crowd! Joyous and enthusiastic doesn't begin to describe the atmosphere. Staggeringly satisfying show, and I had set the bar pretty high in my mind. Personal highlights included blistering live versions of "Game of Pricks," "Break Even," "Buzzards & Dreadful Crows," "Weedking"... the list goes on and on. Epic show. History made before our eyes. And those kids in the band? They haven't lost a step.

GBV, the original lineup, rocked the house. They brought energy and heart to each song they played. The only complaint I had was the mix. I really couldn't understand the words, but that could also be because of how close I was to the stage. The Buckhead Theatre was beautiful, just be wary of the security guards and act like a grownup :)

It was a GBV show!! What else do I need to say? They are one of the greats.

Unstoppable rock! This is my 4th time seeing this band and they have never failed to entertain. This show, however, was pretty triumphant. Buy a t-shirt early if you are a girl because the "ladies" size small was all they had left and it will only fit someone under the age of 12 or someone who desperately needs to eat a sandwich.

Absolutely wonderful performance by the "Classic" Line up of Guided by Voices. My friends and I kept looking at each other in amazement. Song after song delivered in a ragged but right, fun loving way. They really love their audience and give them more than their money's worth in my honest opinion. The chemistry in this line up is undeniable. Maybe GBV has had more "accomplished" musicians in their ranks, but these guys have the soul and the passion. Having Tobin Sprout do some of his tracks was a great treat and Mitch Mitchell was typically energetic, firing off rock move after rock move. He also had some hilarious banter about "hot ladies" and the like. Just a fun night of rock and roll. Openers Sweet Apple were okay and played a set of 70's style boogie rock, J Mascis of Dino Jr. was on the drum kit, but every one was there to see GBV tear it up. Just a note: Most of the set was Propeller, Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes and Under the Bushes material with aome smatterings from various singles and EPs of the period. Do not expect to hear anything past those records as this is focusing on the early to mid-90's period. Three sets of encores...really just the tops.

Fabulous! A must see. Uncle Bob hasn't lost his touch!

Classic lineup was amazing. Played all the old classics

Pretty impeccable live reenactment of all your faves from yesteryear. Pollard exhibited rock god skill set, high-kicking to punctuate the beat and swilling with gusto while twin guitarists delivered nuclear-grade sludge and pogoed in sync. Sound mix a little muddled at first, but became clear and concerted about a third of the way into the show as the players and mix formed a a great sonic turbine that wound up to take flight. Sustained brilliance thereafter.

Absolutely staggeringly good! Anyone who has seen GBV or not, would have loved this show. My girlfriend saw them for the first time and was blown away. Bob and the boys were in top form and the addition of Tobin on vox was truly special. If only they had played 4 nights in a row - I would have gone to every show!

Just so happy I could see this reunion show I felt extremely lucky to see them!!

GBV put on an utterly fantastic show at the 1st Ave. club. They sounded better than ever and rocked out with the intensity of men half their ages. They also played for over two hours! Don't miss these guys!

The club was definitively open - rocked hard - another 30 mins of songs would have been great but nonetheless the show was a great success. Rock over london, rock over chicago, Diet Pepsi UhHu. RIP Wesley Willis

The show was amazing, they played every song I wanted and each one was a hit. The crowd seemed full of semi-fans who didn't know the lyrics but I drive 7 hours to see this show and it was worth every minute.

Not much to say other than it was the best show I've ever seen.

I have to say, Showbox SODO isn't my favorite venue for sound quality, but the soundman for this show actually made it tolerable without earplugs. Whoever that guy is deserves a raise. GBV were amazing as always, if you missed it you might still be able to stream the show at myspace... but you should have been there.

While it was fun to hear the great songs performed live, watching a grown man act like a drunken teenager (swigging from a JD bottle and incessant dumb commentary punctuated with f*ck this and f*ck that, etc) was a bit depressing. Has Robert Pollard always been such a bonehead in shows? Seems to be quite the juxtaposition from the thoughtfulness of his music. His high kicks were a treat, though.

I've seen GBV a number of times, with a number of lineups, and this was probably the best -- not at all what I was expecting for a reunion. It was energetic, everyone was having a good time (onstage and in the crowd), and the set was a perfectly chosen mix of well known material and less-played stuff (like Jar of Cardinals and Matter Eater Lad). And Bob didn't even seem to mind the stage staff nicking his tequila...

If you can imagine how great it would have sounded to see the Kinks or The Who live in 1965, we got a chance to see and hear a rock show that was every bit of that. My friend asked me the next day: "Just how much melody can a person take?" The melodies, the hits, the athleticism of these ex-jocks and school-teachers-turned-rock-stars, the clarity of the sound-system, the venue, the crowd, the pre-concert (yes, Concert) dinner, the beer and booze, the rabid original fans and the new fans.. just everything added up to be one of the top 3 rock shows I've ever attended in my lifetime. ... And I've attended over 600 shows in my old-assed geezerdom.

90s glory days for us all. The bus will get us there yet!

Great show!!! They played a lot of their popular songs and kept the momentum going throughout the entire show. The crowd was really into it. See them if you get a chance!

awesome Love gbv...great rock show..5 stars Uncle bob looked and sounded great

Amazing! These guys still have it and then some!!!

Robert Pollard, Mitch Mitchell, Tobin Sprout, Greg Demos, and Kevin Fennell came together a couple of months ago for the first time in almost 16 years. The wait was well worth it. In my book, these guys are the kings of rock. And I'll put them up against your mama's same old Stones or Uncle Rob's uberreliable Rush canucks. And I'll beat you 9 out of ten heads up with you picking the venue. So throw the switch, it's rock and roll time! Semper Bob! Homeskillet

Either you love GBV or you don't know who they are. I've seen them several times over the years and I've never been disappointed. This tour is no exception.

I really appreciate that they got Guided By Voices to play here. The venue was perfect for the audience to share the enthusiasm with the band, and vice versa. Great service from the barstaff. I had an excellent time!

Guide By Voices were fabulous. They played for almost 3 hours few dozens of songs. The band played with good atmosphere. Sound was great. A really memorable show.

Singer had a bottle of tequila in hand throughout entire set. Was almost empty by end of show. Too much drunken ranting & banter in between songs. Great set nonetheless.

The Stone Pony...where else can you ask for to see fat Rob Thomas, both versions of Scientists, the José vanishing act, the fine art of Awesome Dudes, Demos!, the club is open!

Show was a complete drunken mess on stage, but awesome as usual.

Lead singer seemed to be drunk from the start and was seemed more interested in drinking from his bottle. Maybe if you have to be that drunk to play it means it's time to give it up. He kept on slurring his words and I couldn't understand a thing. The seat was a bit uncomfortable and the sound was kind of tinny. Same problem at The Space. Maybe some sound panels from the ceiling could help.

GBV was as good/better than ever. Sound, set, energy were all great. Paradise, however, is a challenge when you are vertically challenged and it's a sold out show. Took a long time to finally find a tiny opening to see through from the balcony.

Every time I see gbv I come out feeling that the show was one of the best I ever saw. Great energy, great songs, great audience interplay. I love this band.

As usual, an incredible show. Bob promised 53 songs, probably reached it.

I've seen these guys over 10x in various lineups since '94 and they never disappoint. Bob was already sloshed when the band hit the stage and had hilarious banter in between most of the 40+ songs they played...a combination of newer rockers and the classics. If you have fallen behind on the newer stuff (it's easy to do...they have put out 6 CD's and an EP since 2012!), don't let that stop you from seeing them live because they sound as great as ever, especially with Kevin March on drums.

Without question, the quintessential indie rock line-up of the 1990's still knows how to bring it here in the year 2011. Is Bob Pollard a bit older...of course, we all are. But having Mitch Mitchell and Greg Demos work the stage allows Bob to share the stage with two equally energetic rock n' roll masters. The song selection stayed pretty much on course following the 1992-1997 Propeller to Mag Earwhig catalog. They whipped out 43 songs in total which included three encores. By the time they reached song #17-Watch Me Jumpstart they were in full stride and never looked back. Tremendous energy and an environment that felt like a big happy party. A number of people made there way to the stage and were greeted with hugs from band members. The only thing I would have changed was the sound quality. Vocals could have been a bit louder but all in all a fantastic show that if you thought about going, and then didn't, consider it a big mistake in your concert going history. This show was one for the books! Now let's only hope that GBV does not stop now, these guys have a lot of life still in them and oh so much more to give.

Age has had no effect on these indie superstars! They played every song with full energy, and the crowd was really into it. The view of the Delaware River and outdoor venue were great as well. If Guided By Voices ever comes back to Philly, don't miss out.

It was such a great high energy show. It was so fun to see people of all ages appriecate GBV for the great rock pioneers they are. Everyone in their lifetime should see the band at least once.

GBV always give their fans their moneys worth. Exausting set of hits and album tracks that deserve to be hits. One of the highlights of 2010 was the reformation of GBV. Sorely missed by their legion of devoted fans. This is the 2nd time we saw them since reforming. 1st was at Terrible 5. Can't really say which show was better. They both were excellent. At this show Robert Pollard's eyes remaind shut the whole time. His banter is great also. Very entertaining. These 2 shows reinforced my love for this amazing band.

The most amazing show i have ever seen, everyone was singing all the words to every song, and the band were performing with unbeleivable energy! A perfect night.

Great concert. Love the location. nothing like seeing the band play over 30 songs

Fantastic show! Terminal 5 was great! Love the GBV!

It was great to see the old gang back in action after all these years. Although I still loved GBV in their "post-classic" era, it's hard to top watching Bob (charismatic and funny as ever) with chain-smoking Mitch Mitchell, bursting-with-excitement Greg Demos, and Toby (as the sane one of the bunch). They were just as good as when I saw them at Sudsy Malone's in Cincy way back in Dec '94. I'd love to see them reunite for new studio stuff but since Bob has released at least 4 discs a year since disbanding GBV back in 2004 and seems to have moved on, I won't hold my breath and instead will relish memories from this show.

This is the second time I've seen GBV this year since they announced their reunion of the classic line-up. The first time was at the Palms in Las Vegas during the Matador at 21 event on 10/3/10. What an amazing weekend of bands that finished with GBV as the cherry on top. Seeing them for the first time since the Electrifying Conclusion Tour was exciting, especially after the line-up for the weekend! Fast forward a month later to GBV on 11/7/10 at Terminal 5 in NYC. The band was not tight. There was a general sloppyness about the musicianship. Granted, they played a LOT of songs that the whole room knew but it simply wasn't enough. It's time for Bob to go back on the road with Cobra Verde who are a vastly superior band. However, if this is all you can get don't miss the opportunity!

The band was better than expected. The environment was cool and also secure which I am sure is difficult in a place with so many nooks and crannies. Loved the atmosphere. My only complaint is the mix. One guitarist was totally dominating the other for the whole night. Made for a warped sonic experience. Suggestion: listen to the material you will be mixing live before the concert!

Guided By Voices put on a great show. Very entertaining, really treated the audience well. Terminal 5 is a very good venue. Plenty of space, three levels so you can easily see the band. Clean rest rooms with an attendant. Bar had a decent selection and not too expensive.

Band was phenomenal. My only problem was that I am short. But that's on me... I guess

The GBV show took me right back to 1994. In a good way.

Even though these guys are in their 50's they rock harder than just about anyone you'll see out there today. Robert pollard is still swinging the mic around, and doing his patented scissor kicks almost up to his head. The band jumped around the stage with tons of energy, and played for 2 hours including 3 encores. Pollard came on stage and exclaimed " were starting off with 'striped white jets' right off the fucking bat!" Very entertaining from start to finish. Too bad this will probably be the last time we'll ever see this lineup

Let me begin by saying I am a big Robert Pollard fan. I love(d) Guided by Voices especially during the early period. With that said, there are good reasons for bands to not reform for ANY reason. As the old saying goes, "you can't re-heat a souffle". There was something sad about seeing these guys on stage again. I felt bad for Mitch Mitchell. I think he actually believes the band is getting back together. The music was really loud and unfortunately didn't cover up the fact that Pollard appears to be playing with better musicians these days.

A really great show. They had lots of energy. I took 3 friends to the concert, they had never heard of GBV before but they all walked away from the concert liking them alot.

Whatever the lineup, Uncle Bob and the boys never fail to entertain. It's been six years since Bob put the last lineup that made up Guided By Voices to rest. I had a feeling there would be a reunion, but never thought it would be with the "original" members. I was pretty thrilled to see both Tobin, Sprout and Bob Pollard on stage together. This was as great as every other GBV show I've been to, with all the testosterone and energy one would expect from these guys. The main difference between a GBV show and any other rock show I've ever seen is that Bob's shows seem to draw regulars that travel great distances to be close to their icon. There are always familiar faces, which leaves you with a sense of camaraderie. You can go to a show alone and not feel lonely. Despite their level of fame, the band still takes time to interact with the audience. For two and a half hours of my life I was, once again, immersed in the pool of other GBV fans who floated on the brilliant music that flies effortlessly from Mr. Pollard's brain. This show came complete with Bob's twirling beer bottles, his sharing of beverages, his infusion of wit, and his high kicks. But mostly, hearing his songs and feeling the music vibrating against my bones was about as good as it gets. There is nothing else like it.

Drove 7 hours to see this show and it was worth it. The band was tight and Bob was back in form. Have to rate it in my top 5 shows of all time, and I have seen quit a few. BTW, ran into Tobin, Greg and Mitch in our hotel lobby the next morning. The were very gracious when I thanked them for a great show!