hsu@UICSRD.CSRD.UIUC.EDU (William Tsun-Yuk Hsu) (09/27/86)
Yet another concert review from Champaign, Illinois... THE FEELIES at TRITO'S, 9/25 After reading all the wild stories about these guys I just had to check them out (well, it was also cheap, $2.) They were almost punctual at 11 pm... look a little more quasi-REM and pseudo-trendy than I expected. First two songs were pretty hohum, kind of (in this case pre-REM) jangly acoustic guitar and a little tasteful lead guitar, and I was beginning to feel guilty I talked John into going to see them. Then the Feelies REALLY started playing. And I suddenly realized they had two percussionists (how many jangly guitars you can name do?) John had the perfect label: "speed folk." This is the fastest jangly guitar music you'll ever hear. Imagine a raw REM who's really a hardcore band at heart, with a superb NOISY lead guitarist who unfortunately doesn't play all that many solos, and quasi-folk rock you can thrash to, and you'll get an idea of the Feelies. They played four encores: great covers of Neil Young, Beatles, Monkees and this great Velvet Underground medley with Run Run Run and What Goes On. They lull you into a false sense of security with slow, jangly figures and then jump into thrashing passages at warp speed, without batting an eyelash. Don't miss them. Bill Hsu