We’re fast approaching an era where nothing short of death will keep a band from reuniting (though maybe Tupac’s appearance at Coachella proves even that statement untrue). Next to The Smiths, Neutral Milk Hotel seemed like the one band that would never go the way of a big time reunion, particularly as their lo-fi aesthetics and continued refusal of the spotlight and large sums of cash seemed to indicate the band was more than fine leaving the past in the past, despite their pervasive influence on modern music (Jesse Lacey of Brand New, for example, called NMH’s In the Aeroplane Over the Sea “the greatest record ever written”). So it was a joyous day in the PIV household when it was announced that the oft-reclusive crew would be embarking on a massive 130-date reunion tour, with a show at the Hollywood Bowl just within driving distance.
Someone gave me a burned copy of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea when I was in 9th grade, and it completely changed my musical trajectory. They sent me down a rabbit hole of discovering all the bands that they had influenced, opening my eyes to the long form storytelling capabilities of music at a time where I had been listening to a lot of really, really sugary pop punk (Sugarcult you guys. Sugarcult). So I don’t think I’m being overly dramatic in using the word “transcendent” to describe the experience of actually getting to see Neutral Milk Hotel live.
As the jumbotron screens went dark at the band’s request not to be embiggened for their crowd, Neutral Milk Hotel mastermind Jeff Mangum took the stage solo with his guitar. “I Will Bury You in Time” resulted in a standing ovation, but the deep cut (it’s found on Mangum’s Live at Jittery Joe’s and on various unofficial bootlegs) didn’t quite have people singing along yet. That would come as the rest of the band, Scott Spilane, Jeremy Barnes and Julian Koster, quietly and unassumingly made their way across the massive stage towards the song’s end, just in time to kick into a masterpiece of fuzzed-out noise-pop – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea’s “Holland, 1945.” The crowd’s voices practically drowned out the band with gleeful singing and despite a 15 absence from playing together live, the band sounded tight while managing to maintain their ramshackle charm.
It was interesting to see the crowd’s reaction to non-Aeroplane tracks. Songs like “Gardenhead / Leave Me Alone” and “Song Against Sex” from debut LP On Avery Island resulted in at least half of the crowd sitting back down, some of them taking the opportunity to smoke copious amounts of pot or fiddle with phones until things went back to Aeroplane. Conversely and expectedly, many fans were soaked with tears during tracks like “Two-Headed Boy” and “Two-Headed Boy Pt. Two,” and “The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One” incited another Bowl-wide sing-along. The night ended with “Engine” and everyone filed out of the Bowl in a happy daze at what we’d just collectively experienced.
As if we weren’t excited enough to finally be seeing Neutral Milk Hotel, we found out just a week before the show that singer/songwriter (and documentary star) Daniel Johnston would be playing as well. He came out to applause as he made his way across the huge Hollywood Bowl stage with the assistance of a walker. After a suitable chair was found for him to perform from, the singer and his band kicked right into “Love Wheel,” from 1993’s Fun. Johnston’s voice sounded great and he quickly won over a crowd that seemed to be mostly (and surprisingly) unfamiliar with his work. Puzzled looks quickly turned to warm smiles when Johnston took a request for “Speeding Motorcycle.” His set, which included a cover of The Beatles’ “I’m So Tired,” went by far too quickly, though I can’t complain too much since I never expected to get to see him perform live. His 7-song set ended with a standing ovation.
As soon as Johnston was out of sight, the Hollywood Bowl’s stage spun around to reveal The Breeders, who were already playing “Off You.” Frontwoman Kim Deal called it the “70s variety show” entrance and it was actually pretty awesome not having to wait between acts. The Breeders are in that interesting subset of bands that are mostly known by one song, in their case “Cannonball,” but also have a large and well-respected catalogue (similar to Modest Mouse and “Float On” or the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and “The Impression that I Get”). At a more intimate show, like the one they played in Vegas at the Bunkhouse just a few days prior, I feel like they would have the whole crowd singing along and bobbing their heads. But the crowd this night was surprisingly subdued during their set, which included a rocking cover of Ed’s Redeeming Qualities’ “Driving on 9” and some new songs that sounded like vintage Breeders. In a touch of irony, immediately upon the band’s exit of the stage, the jumbotron came aglow with a sign announcing the upcoming Pixies show.
-Ashleigh Thompson
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