creeper-lagoon

Creeper Lagoon reunited for Noise Pop Fest (pics, video, setlist)

Grandaddy aren’t the only millennium-era indie rock band who have recently reformed. San Francisco’s Creeper Lagoon — who released records on indie labels like Shrimper, Nickel Bag and spinART before signing with DreamWorks in 1998 — reformed for this year’s Noise Pop Fest in their hometown. Our friend Jack “Skippy” McFadden, who used to book Union Hall & The Bell House in Brooklyn and now books ACL Live in Austin, flew out for the show and gave us his report…

It’s hard to have any context on just how popular SF’s Creeper Lagoon were at the peak of their 2001 LP Take Back The Universe and Give Me Yesterday (Dreamworks). There weren’t too many national tours, a maybe only one NYC show that I remember (Mercury Lounge), but they definitely left a legion of dedicated fans in the wake of their fizzle-out “break-up” (founding member Sharky Laguana continued the band in some sort until 2006).

As part of the 25th annual Noise Pop Festival, and for the first time in 15 years, the “classic” lineup of Ian Sefchick, Dan Carr, Dave Kostiner (and the aforementioned Laguana), reunited under sunny circumstances at Bottom Of The Hill last Sunday (2/26) for two shows. The afternoon show (which I didn’t attend) was mostly booked as a Sunday matinee / all ages show for the offspring of the band — though it was sold-out and heavily attended by industry types including Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads, who produced much of the Dreamworks LP, Kevin Arnold & Jordan Kurland (founding members of Noise Pop) and Bowery Ballroom booker Johnny Beach who had flown out especially for the reunion (as did I!).

For the evening show, Creeper Lagoon hit sometime after 10 PM and came out of the game with “Chance Of A Lifetime” from Take Back The Universe. It was loose, but fun, and it felt like everyone in the room knew each other, which made it even more celebratory. The majority of the 21-song set featured tracks from 1998’s I Become Small And Go and Take Back The Universe: “Empty Ships” went right into a cover of Guided by Voices’ “Motor Away”,  which was especially cool, and they even threw in a National cover (“Bloodbuzz Ohio”) after they had the entire crowd singing on “Wrecking Ball.” They closed with a tandem of their Dust Brothers-produced “Dear Deadly” into the Pixies “Where Is My Mind?,” which had become the anthem for the night (at least for us fans). Setlists for both Noise Pop shows, plus video and setlists, are below.

Creeper Lagoon will also play Los Angeles’ The Echo on Friday, March 3 (tickets). Perhaps there will be more. Stay tuned.

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SETLIST: CREEPER LAGOON @ NOISE POP FEST 2/26/2017 (LATE SHOW)
Chance of a Lifetime
Claustrophobia
Dead Man Saloon
Hey Sister
Under the Tracks
Empty Ships
Motor Away (Guided by Voices)
Drop Your Head
Second Chance
Dreaming Again
Tracy
Roman Hearts
Sunfair
Sylvia
Wrecking Ball
Bloodbuzz Ohio (The National)
Keep from Moving
Encore:
Tonight Was Fun
Wonderful Love
Dear Deadly
Where Is My Mind? (Pixies)

SETLIST: CREEPER LAGOON @ NOISE POP FEST 2/26/2017 (EARLY SHOW)
Chance of a Lifetime
Claustrophobia
Dead Man Saloon
Hey Sister
Under the Tracks
Empty Ships
Motor Away (Guided by Voices)
Second Chance
Dreaming Again
Tracy
Roman Hearts
Sunfair
Sylvia
Wrecking Ball
Bloodbuzz Ohio (The National)
Keep from Moving
Encore:
Tonight Was Fun
Wonderful Love
Where Is My Mind? (Pixies)
Dear Deadly

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