If you'd said to me when I first got into The Dream Syndicate and Rain Parade back in 1984 that this could be today in 2023, I would never have believed you. The fact that this tour has happened is still astonishing in many respects. Sadly for this show at the Lexington Steven Roback was severely under the weather and unable to join Matt Piucci and Stefan Junca for the Rain Parade's set.
For The Rain Parade this is the first UK Tour since the magical days of the 1980s and is ahead of the band's first album of new material since then. For tonight's show Rain Parade were to begin with Matt Piucci on Acoustic guitar and Stephan Junca on Resonator box, Tambourine and mini maraca attached to his shoes. They were introduced on stage by the legendary Pat Thomas before they opened with a new song that was listed on the setlist as Share, a beautiful paisley dappled song that showed Matt's vocals still sound as magical as ever.
They then took us back to Explosions In The Glass Palace for a stunning version of You Are My Friend that felt heartfelt with the dedications Matt gave, it was so cool to hear this live again like a real old friend. Blue was full of emotions for Charlotte who Matt dedicated it to at the end of the song a sad tale of how things sometimes go horribly wrong.
Next was listed on the setlist as Biz, I think was Only Business from Crashing Dream, it was mighty fine as the sparse percussion and Matt's guitar helped bring the emotion out.
I think Depending On You brought the magic as this brilliant song from Crashing Dream unfurled and had me dreaming of all the places I heard it playing, back when Crashing Dream was on my pile of travel tapes, that went around the world with me in the early 90's.
What She's Done To Your Mynd could have done with a full band, but even so sounded so wonderfully transcendent still so powerful, a total joy to hear it live.
Stephan then went and played Dennis Duck's drum kit as Matt strapped on his trusty Gretsch for a super spacey Beautiful Flower before they closed by getting Dennis Duck onstage as special guest maraca player on a mind melting No Easy Way Down that left us all in no doubt that we want to see the Rain Parade back as a full band as soon as possible.
After the break it was time for the latest line-up of The Dream Syndicate consisting of Dennis Duck, Steve Wynn, Mark Walton and allegedly for this tour only Vicki Peterson replacing Jason Victor on Guitar. They opened with Where I'll Stand sounding every bit as mighty as they did last year, Slide Away had a good groove to it and Vicki and Steve were happily trading licks.
They got there first big cheer of the evening for That's What You Always Say that had a frayed at the edges frantic solo from Steve who seemed to take more lead lines than Vicki. Burn was blistering and very intense.
Both Steve and Vicki put Capo's on for Put Some Miles On a song that now feels like another live staple with Mark Walton's fingers flying all over the fret on his bass to get the feeling of that tour bus careening down the road again. Now I Ride Alone was full of the sadness at the heart of the lyrics while sounding more controlled than it used to sound live, but then Vicki wasn't attacking her guitar with screwdrivers and other implements like Paul B Cutler used too.
Steve did his best to get the title of The Dream Syndicates most recent album correct during the introduction to Damien off of Ultraviolet Battle Hymns And True Confessions. It was a blast of energy that led into Trying To Get Over that really seemed to up the interplay between Vicki and Steve.
Tell Me When It's Over was fast frantic and damn near perfect, before Steve told us they don't play the next song very often, before as they went into the John Coltrane Stereo Blues that was every bit as episodically monumental as it ought to be, as one of the instrumental passages broke down, they went into a little bit of Little Johnny Jewel to take them into another chorus. before it morphed into Morning Dew that was a nice tribute to Jeff Beck, before of course it went back for one more instrumental freak out and chorus of John Coltrane Stereo Blues, this was just brilliant.
They kept the intensity up on When You Smile that benefitted from Vicki and Mark's backing vocals. Glide seemed to glisten as the guitars weaved that spell before they closed with a truly monumental take on Days Of Wine And Roses that twisted through a verse and chorus of Who Do You Love before the total stop to see how long they could remain stock still and silent for, before all coming back in for one last rousing verse and chorus guaranteed to leave us all cheering for more.
The encore opened with a duet version of The Bangles Hero Takes A Fall as Vicki and Steve traded verses and guitar lines, it worked brilliantly well. Vicki then took lead vocals on Too Little Too Late and while she doesn’t sound anywhere near as desolate as Kendra Smith did, she nailed it and it sounded damn fine.
Then for the finale Matt Piucci and Stephan Junca joined them on a magnificent and slightly messy run through Televisions Glory that was a wonderful and fitting tribute to Tom Verlaine and a great way to end a really great nights music. It was also fitting as on the new 4cd 40th Anniversary edition of days Of Wine And Roses Steve mentions they had been to see Tom Verlaine the night before playing at the Country Club in Reseda in 1982.
This was such an amazing double header I had to go a second night, which seemed to be the same for a lot of the audience, that contained a few fans who went to all the shows on this tour, such was the excitement that Rain Parade are back in action again, let alone another chance to see The Dream Syndicate. This was my first visit since this venue changed its name to Colours as it was previously the Hoxton Bar & Grill and before that the Lux Cinema.
I arrived at what I thought was early enough, getting to Colours at 8.09 when the tickets said it started at 8pm but I was already late as apparently Rain Parade came on at 8pm, damn I wasn't happy I missed the start of the set, I walked in just after they started to play Depending On You with Matt playing that wondrous guitar line once more sounding just brilliant.
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Beautiful Flower saw Matt switch from Acoustic Guitar to his Gretsch and Stephan from the resonator box to the drum kit as this gorgeous love song filled the room.
Then my night was made as Steven Roback entered the fray silently as he was under doctor's orders not to speak, let alone sing, but he had his bass with him and What's She's Done To Your Mind was damn near perfect sounding so great.
Blue was full of sad reflections while sounding just wonderfully psychedelic, You Are My friend felt like it had another level of meaning seeing Steven Roback back onstage as the love in the room for the band was total this was just sublime.
Then once Stephan had gone and found the maracas for Dennis Duck to play they closed the set with a wondrously woozy version of No Easy Way Down that just confirmed how brilliant it was that they are back, just how much we need a full band show as soon as possible, they really should have persuaded the bands current other guitarist Derek See to have played with them at this show, then dash over to The Garage where he was playing with Dean Wareham.
Having now had time to go to the bar I was trying to get used to the fact I was drinking a pint of Mango beer by the time The Dream Syndicate came on, still trying to figure out if it was a good idea or not. They opened as they had at The Lexington with Where I'll Stand, in my case, it was the other side of the stage to the night before, so I could get a better view of what Vicki was doing on guitar which was add a short but cool solo.
Slide Away sounded just as good as the night before, with a fine groove and Dennis as ever bringing everything together nicely. As expected the first old song got the first big cheer of the set as they opening notes of That's What You Always Say hit us you could see lots of grinning faces that this song still sounds fresh all these decades later.
Burn had loads of edge to it and a scorching solo from Steve whose vocals were showing the wear and tear of playing two weeks of shows, where they as always had Put Some Miles On as this recent road worn tale got it's groove on magnificently. Now I Ride Alone worked particularly well with slightly hoarse vocals adding to the sense of regret in the lyrics.
Once again Steve plugged the most recent album Ultraviolet Battle Hymns And True Confessions in the intro to Damien a song that's now well on the way to being another live classic. Trying To Get Over has a slightly episodic feel to it and some delicious interplay between Steve and Vicki.
From the opening notes of Tell Me When It's Over it was set for the fuller in your face blast at it, so much so that Steve struggled a bit with the more strained parts of the vocals but it really didn't matter as the band more than made up for any difficulties.
They then deviated from the set at the Lexington by taking us down to The Medicine Show once more, this was blasting at the edges like they have had all the pharms they needed to really freak out.
Halloween then made a rather out of season appearance that was of course very welcome as they all seemed to be having a total blast playing it.
Next up we got a little ghost Story with I Have Faith that was a great song to hear live again, as most of the audience have had faith that The Dream Syndicate are one of the all time great live bands for quite some time now. They then took us on a great ride through Glide that glistened around the edges as Dennis pinpoint drumming held it all together.
They closed the set with a great long version of The Days of Wine And Roses that once again broke down into Who Do You Love and back into Days of Wine And Roses and this time when they came to the crashing halt and silent bit it was interrupted by the bar staff running a tap just before they all came back in for the grand finale ending of this monument.
Of course they came back for an encore that started with Vicki solo feedbacking on the intro to When You Smile with the rest of the band slowly joining her, as they went into the song that she shared to vocals with Steve on. They again paid tribute to the 3 X 4 album with a cool version of Hero Takes A Fall that made the guy at the front wearing a Santa hat's night, from the look on his face when they played it.
Vicki then took lead vocals on Too Little Too Late to really bring out all the pain in this song. Then with Matt and Stephan on stage they closed the show with a full on assault on Televisions Glory to make sure we all left smiling again at another great show.
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