GBV returns rugged and ready to rock

So, Guided by Voices is back, and save for what sound like a few missed chords and some forgotten lyrics (and they did that 16 years ago), no one was disappointed.

The band played to a less-than-sellout crowd in Dallas, and I’ve now seen a set list. So, comparing that to my “dream list” found in my previous post, they played 24 of the songs I hoped for (which is a good half dozen more songs than most bands play period) in a 39-song set. A few surprises — they pulled out “Break Even” from the Grand Hour EP and “Johnny Appleseed” from the Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer EP, gave Tobin Sprout more time than I expected (that’s a good thing) and dropped “Drinker’s Peace” from 1990′s Same Place the Fly Got Smashed LP (which falls outside the ’92-’96 parameters of the show) into the set.

Things I hoped for that they did not play include “Over the Neptune/Mesh Gear Fox,” “Hardcore UFOs” and most of the deeper cuts on Under the Bushes, Under the Stars.
All in all, if I get to see shows like these, I’ll be  a happy man. In the meantime, I’m left with field reports and shaky videos. Here’s one of the better of the latter: