Luna
9 out of 10 - Simply Amazing. Can't wait to see 'em again.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
The Bowery Ballroom, New York NY
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A chapter in New York music history came to a poignant close when the indie rock group Luna played their final show ever. It was a special moment not forgotten by the packed audience who flocked to the band’s last appearances (all sell-outs) at the Bowery Ballroom. The audience affection was not lost on the band members themselves who played the gig with the same eloquence and verve they were known for.
Even a snowstorm on the last night of February couldn’t deter the crowd from seeing Luna play their familiar brand of laid-back, Velvet Underground-inspired rock. The quartet led by singer/guitarist.founding member Dean Wareham played songs from their most recent and final album Rendezvous (“Malibu Love Nest”) along with popular favorites from past albums and shows (“Tiger Lily,” “Bewitched,” “Friendly Advice,” “Astronaut,” “Chinatown”).
It is remarkable how Wareham had stayed true to his sound and vision back when Luna formed thirteen years ago, when grunge rock was still at its commercial zenith. No doubt the mixture of both old and new songs brought back a flood of memories for him and the audience members. One really forgets how his deadpan singing and distinct guitar leads have really forged the group’s sound. The precise and sturdy playing of the other members—guitarist Sean Eden, drummer Lee Wall, and bassist Britta Phillips—proved that while Wareham was the focal point, the band was more than the sum of its parts.
One could tell how special the night was from the bright Christmas-looking lights that streamed across the stage to Wareham’s good-humored banter with the crowd (not to mention seeing guitarist Eden take a rare lead vocal spot on one song). There was not one lull in performance and the audience members reacted enthusiastically to every song and savoring every last moment. If one really looked hard at the normally stoic Wareham, he or she might have witnessed him taking a very deep nervous breath.
Although they have traveled and played across the world, Luna has always been New York’s own band. And now that it’s all over, they are now partt of the city’s music lore. Like their heroes the Velvet Underground, they are now irreplaceable.
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