Friends of mine still rave about the Tortoise liveset at DEMF in 2001. And by rave I mean they shake their heads and mutter something under their breath about it being one of the most incredible shows they’ve ever seen. You can imagine I have wanted to see them ever since.
Lucky for you I finally had my chance last Friday night in San Francisco. And lucky for me someone caught a quick snip of the show so that I can share it with you:
On the stage, there were two sets of drums placed up front and turned to face each other, while the other three took their positions in the background. It struck me as odd when they were setting up but make no mistake, this visual arrangement is intentional. John Herndon and John McEntire provide the show, but the relentless pace they set on the drums creates a framework for the dreamy, squeaky, bubbly, bleepy sounds to envelope the remaining space. It truly is all around you.
If you ever get a chance to see them live, please do, especially if it’s in an intimate setting like this one. You do not need to know their music to get swept up in the rush. Just close your eyes and let your booty boogie while your mind meanders about. And then you too can struggle to tell your friends about that time you were blown away by Tortoise…
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