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Classic Guided By Voices line-up to tour...no dates announced yet

JoeDiddly by Luke Slater [Edit this content] ▾ 8 comments 17:17 July 7th, 2010

Last week it was confirmed that the 'classic' Guided By Voices line-up would re-unite for Matador's 21st birthday party celebrations in Las Vegas later in the year. This was very much good news, considering who else was on the bill, too. See below for that.

From http://www.matadorrecords.com/images/21/matadorposter5.jpg

Some of you UK dwellers were probably tempted to at least consider flights over to Las Vegas to catch this magnificent gig - but now you might not have to, as Robert Pollard et al will be embarking on a tour (via Buzzgrinder).

It's not yet confirmed whether the tour will just be in the US and Canada, or whether it'll stretch to the UK and/or Europe. Obviously as the reunion is happening in in October you could extend it a little bit and stick in an appearance at one of the ATPs, though that's dependent on various factors. Still, whilst it's probably best not to get too excited about the possibility at the moment, it's probably worth maintaining a tad of optimism about it...

Guided By Voices

If this tour does hit the UK I am at every show

but I'm still not overly optimistic. Is it too late to apply to go on Dragon's Den and use the opportunity to beg Peter Jones to stump up the money to get them over here?

dan_thw | 7 Jul '10, 18:19 | X | Reply

if you went on dragons den

Theo would probably pull Rob Pollards hair off and say "Mrs P isn't a big fan of perms".

Hayward | 7 Jul '10, 19:05 | X | Reply

GBV toured constantly

hardly any of them were here. Bob's toured solo a few times, never here. Boston Spaceships toured, not here. Hope I'm proved wrong, but the announcement of a tour isn't exactly getting me clearing my calendar for the end of the year yet.

Poprivet | 7 Jul '10, 22:15 | X | Reply

....

let's not forget that when they did play here, no bugger went. Saw them in Sheffield in 1999 and there, at most. 20 people in the crowd. Still, reform, and you can probably fill 5 nights at Brixton, such is the way of things these days.....

allwaystired @Poprivet | 8 Jul '10, 00:30 | X | Reply

I dunno about that

I've had a little look at the GBV database site and it seems like they toured over here every year from 1995 right up to when I saw them my one and only time in 2003 apart from 1998 and 2000 when they didn't release any albums anyway.

I think the main reason Bob hasn't toured over here solo (aside from his dislike of flying) is that the other guy who replied is right to say its unlikely he would have pulled the crowds in outside London and it wouldn't have been financially worth it.

However, its "GUIDED BY VOICES CLASSIC LINEUP!!!" now (which I'd assume most people under the age of 35 haven't seen before) and I'd be absolutely amazed if they couldn't sell out 4 or 5 dates around the country - say 300-500 capacity places in Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, and a 750-1000 venue in London, and they could make this part of a wider 3 week / month long European tour.

I'd actually say I reckon its reasonably likely they will come over. Perhaps around the Belle and Sebastian ATP!

Fingers crossed anyway...

dan_thw @Poprivet | 8 Jul '10, 03:06 | X | Reply

I doubt they'll come over

The final tour GBV did over here hemorrhaged cash and lost them a small fortune - Bob vowed never to return (according to an agent friend of mine).

itakesmack | 8 Jul '10, 08:41 | X | Reply

Depends what you define as tour

several of those years involved 1 London show & that was it. The most dates they ever did was, what, 6? As for no albums in 2000, well not if you discount the 4CD boxset they put out. They certainly never took those years out on US touring like they did here. Don't forget they skipped here on the final tour too.

I just think fans like us love the band so much we can get an exaggerated sense of their, I don't know, profile maybe?

Poprivet @dan_thw | 8 Jul '10, 18:54 | X | Reply

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