Pavement Concert Review: Bring On The Major Leagues!
It was clear the crowd was filled with people who had been following Pavement for decades; cheering erupted throughout the show in moments of recognition when the audience heard the first notes of a beloved song.One thing became very clear as the night of Sept. 28 unfolded at the Boch Center’s beautiful Wang Theatre: Pavement still rocks. The room was filled with a crowd that stayed on their feet from the moment Pavement took the stage. Singing, screaming, and a consistent group of balcony-dancing fans showed the band love throughout the night; they were rewarded with a fantastic show, complete with the ritual throwing of ping pong balls into the crowd and intermittent reflections from iconic lead vocalist Stephen Malkmus.
A new addition to the band for Pavement’s 2022 reunion tour is Rebecca Cole, a keyboardist who was formerly a member of bands Wild Flag and the Minders. Nastanovich said in an interview with The A.V. Club that she makes them “more versatile.” It was certainly a pleasure to watch her banging on the keyboard while swinging long black hair backlit by spotlights. Pavement sounded better than ever.
The set list incorporated a number of fan favorites, opening with “Grounded” and including “Harness Your Hopes - B-Side,” “Cut Your Hair,” “Range Life,” and “Spit on a Stranger.” It was clear the crowd was filled with people who had been following Pavement for decades; cheering erupted throughout the show in moments of recognition when the audience heard the first notes of a beloved song. They were incredibly excited to share another night with Pavement, who were touring together for the first time in 12 years.
This same love for the band was needed during some of the show’s rougher moments, like when Malkmus began singing the wrong version of lyrics for “Fin” and asked the band to start over. The crowd cheered him on, and the evening was back on track. The roughness of Pavement is part of their magic. Their fans get to witness a living legacy unfold, with the potential for surprise always around the corner.
Embedded in one of the mellow sections of the set was a series of songs Malkmus described as “witchy.” This included “The Hexx,” accompanied by blue and purple lights with a moon-like graphic on the big screen that flashed with different images throughout the show. Though in many instances the graphics were a nice touch, they also felt distracting at times. The lights and Pavement’s unbeatable sound would have been more than enough; a hand cutting an orange and the rotating torso of a naked woman added nothing.
What is always consistent with Pavement is the sheer quality that this group brings to everything they do. Each song was a hit, even when Malkmus had to perform without being able to hear himself due to a technical difficulty. Thoroughly enjoyable to watch was Bob Nastanovich, in classic character, alternating between percussion, vocals, tambourine, and the slide whistle. His haunting screams echoed through the theater during “Half A Canyon” alongside bouts of intensive maraca playing.
Malkmus did not fail to keep the audience captivated. In a beautiful moment early in the set he kneeled to the ground, playing by feel with his head bowed as he cradled the guitar on his knee. His presence in that moment was serene, and stood out as it was free of the humor and rambling stories that characterize his typical stage presence (like the story he told about using what he called “slugs,” to attempt to play free games on pinball machines).
As Pavement returned to the stage for the encore, they killed time waiting for Scott Kannberg, who Malkmus announced in a fake British accent was “visiting the urinal.” Nastanovich quipped, “Never know where he might turn up,” to which Malkmus quickly replied, “Could be an elevator to hell...”
Just before the encore began, band members called out place names to figure out where people in the crowd were from. Loud screams for New Hampshire and Rhode Island showed that fans had been willing to make a trek to watch Pavement perform. The sea of contented faces that left the Boch Center that night made it clear that they got exactly what they came for.
—Staff writer Lena M. Tinker can be reached at lena.tinker@thecrimson.com.