Super Furry Animals
Irving Plaza, New York (April 24, 2002)
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Super Furry Animals
Irving Plaza, New York
April 24, 2002
Setlist: A Touch Sensitive
/ Rings Around The World
/ God! Show Me Magic
/ Golden Retriever
/ The International Language Of Screaming
/ Sidewalk Serfer Girl
/ It's Not The End Of The World
/ Nythod Cacwn
/ Run Christian Run
/ Presidential Suite
/ No Sympathy
/ Juxtapozed With U
/ Receptacle For The Respectable
/ Do Or Die
/ Calimero
/ The Man Don't Give A Fuck
/ Gwreiddiau Dwfn / Mawrth Oer Ar Y Blaned Nefion
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Fans of SFA are theoretically forced to be patient with the exploratory outfit: the more straightlaced listeners had to wade through two long techno freakouts orchestrated by electronics master Cian Ciaran, while the club kids who came for that sort of thing might not have warmed as readily to the easy-listening crooning of "Presidential Suite." But the beauty of the group is that its members' experimental tendencies and wide range of influences draws a like-minded crowd; one that follows the group through its many phases and appreciates the unique approach SFA applies to each of its endeavors.
A mere week after the U.S. release of the group's fifth album, Rings Around The World, but almost a year after its original U.K. release, that disc dominated the evening, with SFA performing nine of its 12 tracks. Taking the stage to a reprise of the instrumental "A Touch Sensitive," the group promptly kicked things off with a rave-up of the album's title track, segueing tastefully into "God! Show Me Magic," the lead track from its 1994 debut, Fuzzy Logic.
The crowd was treated to its first taste of the new track "Golden Retriever," which frontman Gruff Rhys dedicated to "everyone born in the year of the dog." For the upbeat pop song, footage of a dog of that breed cavorting in the woods ran on twin screens mounted above the stage. The screens were used to prime visual effect throughout the show, allowing the audience to sample the visuals included on Rings' companion DVD.
One of the most technically impressive stunts of the evening was Rhys' "duet" with himself on Rings' single "Juxtapozed With U." Rhys stood at a vocoder keyboard, singing/playing the verses through the sonic filter and the choruses through a propped-up "normal" mic. The feat was followed up by another of the night's most memorable performances, as the group tackled the epic "Receptacle For The Respectable" with aplomb.
After the lone Guerrilla track ("Do Or Die") and two punkish b-sides ("Calimero" and singalong crowd favorite "The Man Don't Give A Fuck"), the group launched into the towering closer "Gwreiddiau Dwfn / Mawrth Oer Ar Y Blaned Nefion." Don't be scared by the Welsh title (which roughly translates to "Deep Roots / Cold Mars On Neptune"), but the song -- the longest the Furries have ever put to tape -- is indeed an affecting epic. Its plaintive, sing-song first part gave way to a loud guitar attack, which in turn dissolved into electronic madness helmed by Ciaran, who continued to create as the rest of his band left the stage.
In a mere 90 minutes, Super Furry Animals were able to wreak havoc on genre boundaries and thoroughly entertain a plaza-full of its growing multitudes of fans. As long as there are groups like this continuing to work their magic and inspire others, pop music will never die.
TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.