Kevin Bronson on April 17th, 2009

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Almost as impressive at the sheets of white noise My Bloody Valentine laid down Thursday night at the El Rey Theatre –12 consecutive minutes of it at one point – was how those in the packed house pantomimed the experience.

As Kevin Shields and mates meted out sonic blasts that shook the furniture as well as bodies, fans of the seminal shoegazer quartet soaked it in. A young couple closed their eyes, swayed and raised their palms toward the stage. Others winced and smiled and placed their fingers on their (almost-mandatory, tonight) earplugs, making sure they were snug. Still others bowed their heads solemnly, eyes shut to the assault of strobe lights.

But if last October’s MBV shows at concrete-infested Santa Monica Civic Auditorium were harsh and concussive, Thursday’s 90-minute pre-Coachella warm-up – witnessed by admirers such as Trent Reznor, Johnny Marr and Tim Burgess, among others – was a cocoon. The sonics in the long, narrow (and carpeted and draped) El Rey allowed for the nuances in My Bloody Valentine’s layered assault to shine through. And except for one hiccup and a couple instances of unintentional (I think) feedback, the music did shine.

Above and below, a photo gallery courtesy of Todd Nakamine.

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