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Pavement played Rumsey Playfield again (pics), with Times New Viking (who play the Meat Locker tonight)

photos by Diana Wong

you can see the rain in the light
Pavement

Considering the band split apart in 1999 and most everybody in attendance bought tickets to the show a full year ago, there wasn’t going to be anything keeping hardcore Pavement fans from Wednesday night’s (September 22) concert at Rumsey Playfield in New York’s Central Park. The weather certainly tried though, as a thick fog of humidity gave way to steady rain and a spectacular display of lightning (so spectacular, in fact, that the producers actually pulled the band off stage for 15 minutes half way through the set, for fear of lightning strikes).

With the weather threatening to derail the entire evening, Pavement found a completely new gear. Eschewing the sharp between-song banter that colored earlier shows on this reunion tour, the band tore through their set mostly in an effort to cram in all their songs but also because they remain clearly thrilled by the aspect of playing these tunes together again. …Something clearly lit a fire under the asses of Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Steve West and Mark Ibold, as they were feisty, firey and tight (despite a few false starts)…

“Thanks for sticking with us,” Malkmus said at the end of the set. He was probably talking about the rain, but he could have been talking about the 10 years in between appearances that gave his quirky songs a new energy that he clearly enjoyed. Will Pavement make another album? It seems doubtful. But they sure do seem to like being in Pavement again. -[MTV]

The band played most, if not all, of their setlist last night (in the rain).

Pavement round four kicks off tonight (9/23) at the also-sold-out Summerstage (but you can get a ticket for cheap outside) with Endless Boogie (who was one of the openers at the first show at Williamsburg Waterfront).

Times New Viking opened last night, and will be playing another show at the Meat Locker in Montclair, NJ TONIGHT (9/23). Times New Viking’s other upcoming shows include a stint with the reunited Guided By Voices.

More pictures from last night’s Summerstage show (including another of the setlist), below…

Times New Viking

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Times New Viking is introduced by comedian (Jeffrey Jensen?)

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Times New Viking