Photo: Gail Butensky
Yesterday the world lit fire when Tuesday night’s word (thanks, Brooklyn Vegan) that Pavement would finally reunite for a one-off show in Central Park was confirmed by Pitchfork yesterday morning. This morning Matador posted something on their blog that should send most horn-rimmed thirty-somethings into even more intense fits of nerdstasy: Pavement are going to be embarking on a full tour.
After years of speculation, the most important American band of the 1990’s is returning to the stage, with the lineup of Mark Ibold, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West reuniting for dates around the world in 2010. Please be advised this tour is not a prelude to additional jaunts and/or a permanent reunion.
Described in their own Wikipedia entry as having experienced “moderate commercial success”, Pavement’s catalog for the Matador, Domino, Drag City and Treble Kicker imprints has come to define in the eyes of many the blueprint for independent rock over the past generation. In spite of this, the records are still pretty fantastic, and we’re fully prepared to remind you of such with a details-to-be-determined compilation album planned for release sometime in 2010.
The first show announced is a New York performance on September 21, 2010 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. Things worked out really well when Diana Ross played Central Park in 1983, and we have no reason to suspect Pavement’s return to the live arena won’t generate similar headlines.
Kind of a reach, but maybe not. Because on a more serious note, their legacy is felt not just by those old people about whom we just cracked wise—the kids love and emulate them, too.
