Coachella 2013: The Stone Roses … just stone me
Kevin Bronson on
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Who: The Stone Roses on the main stage
In 3 or Fewer Words: Color me blue.
Memorable because: Who are the Stone Roses? They are not the four gentlemen who appeared on the main stage at a quarter till midnight on Friday, properly posed for little more than cashing Coachella’s paycheck. To a certain generation of music fan of a certain stripe, the Manchester quartet was the encapsulation of most rock ’n’ roll that preceded them – and an influencer of much that succeeded – all in one album, “The Stone Roses” (1989). With any luck, that album will remain a stronger memory than the reunited Roses’ erratic headlining performance. From Ian Brown’s painful vocals to basic timekeeping problems that would send lesser bands back to the woodshed, the foursome did their best to assassinate their aura for an hour in front of the smallest main-stage crowd in memory. Thankfully, there were plenty of fans there to sing along (and hit the notes), and, even better, some of John Squire’s guitar jams approached the epic psychedelia they can be. Largely, though, it was songs-in-the-key-of-anything, downright sloppy – until for a magical four minutes or so the Roses assembled all the pieces to nail “She Bang the Drum” almost perfectly. Alas, that penultimate song was followed by “I Am the Resurrection,” which was all but put on a cross and crucified. The Stone Roses’ hardcore faithful were left with little to do but genuflect at 1989 and move on.
What I’d Tell My Friends Who Were at Tegan and Sara: Right now, I have no idea.
– K.B. (Photo by Scott Dudelson)
that’s really not suprising at all. anybody with a passing knowledge band knows they were NOTORIOUSLY bad live for years. it comes as no surprise that with added age they would be any better. shame. they should have stayed dormant.
I saw them friday 4-19. i know those songs well. they hit every nail on the head this time even the extended jams at the right places, slipping from manchester pop to funk and back in 64 bars, even ian hit the notes, mixed much better too. i know i didnt expext much given bootlegs ive heard but i have to say it was a great set… jazzy fills to start i am the r, a nice sense of dynamixs on waterfall, this was the band that deserved the rep their first album earned then and im glad chris squire is back playing guit. eom