My Bloody Valentine Bring the Noise in London

Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine performs in Indio, California.

If quiet really is the new loud, someone forgot to tell My Bloody Valentine. The reunited band's Tuesday night London show was certainly heavy on volume, if surprisingly light on new material.

Staff handed out earplugs to 5,000 fans on arrival at Hammersmith Apollo, the first of two dates at the venue serving as a climax to the band's first tour since the surprise appearance of new album MBV last month. While much of the show was pitched just the right side of deafening, hearing protection was certainly needed for an epic version of "You Made Me Realise." The set's penultimate song, it saw guitarist/vocalist Kevin Shields hammering away at the same chord for almost 10 brutal, feedback-drenched minutes.

That had many fans covering their ears and even sent a few scurrying for the exits, although others raised their arms and were lost in reverie. But the rest of the set was just as effective – if usually more subtle – at highlighting the enduring appeal of My Bloody Valentine's signature noise-pop sound.

The set began with the powerful indie dance groove of "I Only Said," taken from the band's classic 1991 album, Loveless, which provided the spine of the set. Six songs from that album were aired, including uncompromising versions of "Only Shallow," "To Here Knows When" and a pulsating "Soon."

500 Greatest Albums of All Time: My Bloody Valentine, 'Loveless'

But while the follow-up album may have taken 22 years to arrive, songs from MBV had no problem gelling with the rest of the set, sounding almost like a sonic continuation of where the preceding record left off. "New You" saw Shields' phased guitar blending with singer-guitarist Bilinda Butcher's blissed-out vocals, while "Only Tomorrow" brought a harder-edged guitar grind to proceedings.

Meanwhile, set closer "Wonder 2" – which saw drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig come out from behind his kit to play additional guitar – was the loudest, spikiest new song on display, although it still sounded like light relief after the aural assault of "You Made Me Realise."

Ó Cíosóig and bassist Debbie Googe provided most of the onstage movement, urging each other on as the band locked into a mesmerizing groove on songs such as "Slow" and "Thorn." The band has been back playing together since 2008, although there was little of the easy nostalgia or ostentatious bonhomie often seen with reunited acts. While shouts of "We love you!" could be heard from the crowd during the few quieter moments, Shields said maybe 10 words all evening, most of them inaudible, and Butcher even less, both standing impassive during even the most musically extreme moments.

Fortunately, the music spoke volumes, with even older songs such as "You Never Should" and "Feed Me With Your Kiss," from 1988's Isn't Anything, sounding thrillingly contemporary, while some visual spectacle was provided by relentless strobe lighting and the projection of arty, blurry images onto the backdrop throughout. Shields briefly switched to acoustic guitar on "Cigarette in Your Bed," although even then the resulting version was anything but mellow.

Nothing could compare, however, to the maelstrom of white noise that was "You Made Me Realise," which left many of the crowd stunned into silence.

My Bloody Valentine's U.K. tour concludes Wednesday at the same venue. The good news for those with shares in earplug manufacture is that further dates in Japan, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Norway, Poland and Germany have been announced for the summer.

Set list:
"I Only Said"
"When You Sleep"
"New You"
"You Never Should"
"Honey Power"
"Cigarette in Your Bed"
"Only Tomorrow"
"Come in Alone"
"Only Shallow"
"Thorn"
"Nothing Much to Lose"
"To Here Knows When"
"Slow"
"Soon"
"Feed Me With Your Kiss"
"You Made Me Realise"
"Wonder 2"

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My Bloody Valentine Bring the Noise in London

Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine performs in Indio, California.

If quiet really is the new loud, someone forgot to tell My Bloody Valentine. The reunited band's Tuesday night London show was certainly heavy on volume, if surprisingly light on new material.

Staff handed out earplugs to 5,000 fans on arrival at Hammersmith Apollo, the first of two dates at the venue serving as a climax to the band's first tour since the surprise appearance of new album MBV last month. While much of the show was pitched just the right side of deafening, hearing protection was certainly needed for an epic version of "You Made Me Realise." The set's penultimate song, it saw guitarist/vocalist Kevin Shields hammering away at the same chord for almost 10 brutal, feedback-drenched minutes.

That had many fans covering their ears and even sent a few scurrying for the exits, although others raised their arms and were lost in reverie. But the rest of the set was just as effective – if usually more subtle – at highlighting the enduring appeal of My Bloody Valentine's signature noise-pop sound.

The set began with the powerful indie dance groove of "I Only Said," taken from the band's classic 1991 album, Loveless, which provided the spine of the set. Six songs from that album were aired, including uncompromising versions of "Only Shallow," "To Here Knows When" and a pulsating "Soon."

500 Greatest Albums of All Time: My Bloody Valentine, 'Loveless'

But while the follow-up album may have taken 22 years to arrive, songs from MBV had no problem gelling with the rest of the set, sounding almost like a sonic continuation of where the preceding record left off. "New You" saw Shields' phased guitar blending with singer-guitarist Bilinda Butcher's blissed-out vocals, while "Only Tomorrow" brought a harder-edged guitar grind to proceedings.

Meanwhile, set closer "Wonder 2" – which saw drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig come out from behind his kit to play additional guitar – was the loudest, spikiest new song on display, although it still sounded like light relief after the aural assault of "You Made Me Realise."

Ó Cíosóig and bassist Debbie Googe provided most of the onstage movement, urging each other on as the band locked into a mesmerizing groove on songs such as "Slow" and "Thorn." The band has been back playing together since 2008, although there was little of the easy nostalgia or ostentatious bonhomie often seen with reunited acts. While shouts of "We love you!" could be heard from the crowd during the few quieter moments, Shields said maybe 10 words all evening, most of them inaudible, and Butcher even less, both standing impassive during even the most musically extreme moments.

Fortunately, the music spoke volumes, with even older songs such as "You Never Should" and "Feed Me With Your Kiss," from 1988's Isn't Anything, sounding thrillingly contemporary, while some visual spectacle was provided by relentless strobe lighting and the projection of arty, blurry images onto the backdrop throughout. Shields briefly switched to acoustic guitar on "Cigarette in Your Bed," although even then the resulting version was anything but mellow.

Nothing could compare, however, to the maelstrom of white noise that was "You Made Me Realise," which left many of the crowd stunned into silence.

My Bloody Valentine's U.K. tour concludes Wednesday at the same venue. The good news for those with shares in earplug manufacture is that further dates in Japan, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Norway, Poland and Germany have been announced for the summer.

Set list:
"I Only Said"
"When You Sleep"
"New You"
"You Never Should"
"Honey Power"
"Cigarette in Your Bed"
"Only Tomorrow"
"Come in Alone"
"Only Shallow"
"Thorn"
"Nothing Much to Lose"
"To Here Knows When"
"Slow"
"Soon"
"Feed Me With Your Kiss"
"You Made Me Realise"
"Wonder 2"

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Justin Bieber Threatens Photographer in London

Justin Bieber Threatens Photographer in London | Music News | Rolling Stone New IssueArchivesWelcomeAccount SettingsLogoutLog In To RS ArchivesNot a member? Click here.Rolling Stone Skip to the content. Music Politics Movies Reviews Artist BlogsPhotos Videos Subscribe Now facebooktwitterRSSMore:Matt Taibbi•Peter Travers•RS on RDIO•SXSW•Defining Moments•Daily Download•The New Immortals•Y! Music Matt TaibbiPeter TraversDavid FrickeRob SheffieldRS Politics DailyTech BlogFashion Blogmore Blogs »AlbumsSongsMovies Justin Bieber Threatens Photographer in London Bodyguard pulls him away from confrontation with paparazzi $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); Tweet Comment March 8, 2013 12:05 PM ET

Justin Bieber didn't let last night's fainting spell stop him from an altercation with a paparazzi outside his London hotel this morning. According to TMZ, Bieber and his bodyguards were rushing to get to his SUV, and the pop star made contact with a photographer on his way into the vehicle.

The Evolution of Justin Bieber

The photographer then lobbed insults at Bieber, saying, "Fuck off to America" and calling the singer a "fucking little moron." An upset Bieber emerged from the SUV, yelling, "What the fuck [did] you say?" The photographer shot back and stuck with his pointed words, and Bieber replied, "I'll fucking beat the fuck out of you." Bieber tried to throw some punches, but his bodyguards pushed him back into the vehicle.

Bieber reflected on the incident on Twitter with multiple posts today. "Ahhhhh! Rough morning. Trying to feel better for this show tonight but let the paps get the best of me," he wrote. "Sometimes when people are shoving cameras in your face all day and yelling the worst thing possible at you . . . well I'm human. Rough week."

It certainly has been a rough week for Bieber: he took to Twitter to vent frustrations regarding his birthday and "fake stories," and he took the stage two hours late for his Monday show at London's O2 arena. He was also hospitalized after fainting backstage at his concert last night at the O2.

RelatedJustin Bieber Recovering After Fainting at London ShowJustin Bieber Vents Frustration on TwitterJustin Bieber Aims Fighting Words at Black Keys Drummer $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsBottom .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); Tweet To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

prevPatti Smith Holds Court at Toronto Art GalleryMusic MainNextJay-Z's Atlantic City Nightclub Closes MUSIC 15 Most Outrageous Morrissey Quips MOVIES 30 Best Rock & Roll Movie Moments TV The Best '30 Rock' One-Liners POLITICS The New Political Prisoners Picks From Around the WebThe Final Days of New York City’s Cannibal Cop Trial - SlateMeet the Oldest Surviving Munchkin From 'The Wizard of Oz' - The Daily Beast8 More Fairy-Tale Movies You'll See Soon - Vulture3D Printing Is Getting Stoned - ViceGordon Ramsay's Refrigerator Essentials - Men's Journal
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Best Ever ListsOther Lists100 Greatest Guitarists100 Greatest Singers500 Greatest Albums of All Time500 Greatest Songs100 Best Albums of the 2000s100 Greatest Beatles Songs Song Stories“Smoke on the Water”Deep Purple | 1973

On the evening of December 4, 1971, Deep Purple were watching a Frank Zappa concert at the Montreux Casino in Switzerland, when someone shot a flare gun and set fire to the ceiling of the venue -- completely destroying it. This served as the inspiration behind their hit "Smoke on the Water." "That was a riff I made up on the spur of the moment, in Switzerland," explained Ritchie Blackmore. "It was a case of keeping it incredibly simple. I remember Pete Townsend saying to me, 'You've got to keep things simple and take the audience with you.'" Purple were planning on recording their next album, Machine Head, at the Casino but had to move the sessions to the nearby Grand Hotel.

More Song Stories entries » Twitter   Channels Music Movies Politics Artists Photos Videos Follow Us   Facebook   Twitter   YouTube   RSS   Foursquare   Tumblr Subscribe Subscribe Give A Gift Back Issues Customer Service RS Archive Digital Access Additional Advertise Contact Privacy Policy Your Privacy Rights Terms of Use Sitemap Affiliates RS Fine Art Cover Series RS Cover Reprints RS Wine Club RS Music Video School Wenner Media Websites: Rolling Stone| Us Weekly| Men's Journal| Jann S. Wenner Copyright ©2013 Rolling Stone; Jann S. Wenner, editor and publisher  

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Justin Bieber Recovering After Fainting at London Show

Justin Bieber in Atlanta, Georgia.

Justin Bieber was reportedly hospitalized after he fainted backstage last night during a concert at London's O2 Arena, but the teen-pop singer plans to go ahead with his final show there tonight.

Bieber's rep told The Associated Press that the singer was given oxygen and took a 20-minute break after passing out backstage. The pop star later posted a photo of himself in what looked like a hospital bed, shirtless and wearing headphones, with the caption, "Gettin better listening to Janis Joplin." 

The Evolution of Justin Bieber

 The 19-year-old singer appeared to flag during a performance of "Beauty and a Beat," based on a fan-shot video that shows Bieber leaning over with his hands on his legs, as if he was trying to catch his breath, before he slowly walked to the back of the stage.

"When he started 'Beauty and a Beat' you could see he was struggling," said Prithvi Pandya, the 18-year-old journalism student who shot the video. "He took lots of drinks of water, that seemed unusual, and he was really sweaty, sweating a helluva lot. Toward the end of it, he went backstage. We didn't see him fainting. They brought on dancers to entertain, and I knew something was wrong at that point."

The singer later returned to perform what the AP described as "low-energy renditions" of "Boyfriend" and "Baby."

After the show, Bieber tweeted, "thanks for everyone pulling me thru tonight. best fans in the world. figuring out what happened. thanks for the love."

The incident was the latest in what has been a rocky stint in London: the singer showed up two hours late to his first O2 Arena show, angering young fans and their parents; and last week tweeted that turning 19 was his "worst birthday." He complained earlier this week on Twitter about the media writing "fake stories to sell papers."

A spokesman for O2 Arena said that Bieber has been released from the hospital, and that tonight's show is scheduled to go ahead as planned. 

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Justin Bieber Threatens Photographer in London

Justin Bieber Threatens Photographer in London | Music News | Rolling Stone New IssueArchivesWelcomeAccount SettingsLogoutLog In To RS ArchivesNot a member? Click here.Rolling Stone Skip to the content. Music Politics Movies Reviews Artist BlogsPhotos Videos Subscribe Now facebooktwitterRSSMore:Matt Taibbi•Peter Travers•RS on RDIO•SXSW•Defining Moments•Daily Download•The New Immortals•Y! Music Matt TaibbiPeter TraversDavid FrickeRob SheffieldRS Politics DailyTech BlogFashion Blogmore Blogs »AlbumsSongsMovies Justin Bieber Threatens Photographer in London Bodyguard pulls him away from confrontation with paparazzi $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); Tweet Comment March 8, 2013 12:05 PM ET

Justin Bieber didn't let last night's fainting spell stop him from an altercation with a paparazzi outside his London hotel this morning. According to TMZ, Bieber and his bodyguards were rushing to get to his SUV, and the pop star made contact with a photographer on his way into the vehicle.

The Evolution of Justin Bieber

The photographer then lobbed insults at Bieber, saying, "Fuck off to America" and calling the singer a "fucking little moron." An upset Bieber emerged from the SUV, yelling, "What the fuck [did] you say?" The photographer shot back and stuck with his pointed words, and Bieber replied, "I'll fucking beat the fuck out of you." Bieber tried to throw some punches, but his bodyguards pushed him back into the vehicle.

Bieber reflected on the incident on Twitter with multiple posts today. "Ahhhhh! Rough morning. Trying to feel better for this show tonight but let the paps get the best of me," he wrote. "Sometimes when people are shoving cameras in your face all day and yelling the worst thing possible at you . . . well I'm human. Rough week."

It certainly has been a rough week for Bieber: he took to Twitter to vent frustrations regarding his birthday and "fake stories," and he took the stage two hours late for his Monday show at London's O2 arena. He was also hospitalized after fainting backstage at his concert last night at the O2.

RelatedJustin Bieber Recovering After Fainting at London ShowJustin Bieber Vents Frustration on TwitterJustin Bieber Aims Fighting Words at Black Keys Drummer $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsBottom .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsBottom .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); Tweet To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

prevPatti Smith Holds Court at Toronto Art GalleryMusic MainNextJay-Z's Atlantic City Nightclub Closes MUSIC 15 Most Outrageous Morrissey Quips MOVIES 30 Best Rock & Roll Movie Moments TV The Best '30 Rock' One-Liners POLITICS The New Political Prisoners Picks From Around the WebThe Final Days of New York City’s Cannibal Cop Trial - SlateMeet the Oldest Surviving Munchkin From 'The Wizard of Oz' - The Daily Beast8 More Fairy-Tale Movies You'll See Soon - Vulture3D Printing Is Getting Stoned - ViceGordon Ramsay's Refrigerator Essentials - Men's Journal
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Best Ever ListsOther Lists100 Greatest Guitarists100 Greatest Singers500 Greatest Albums of All Time500 Greatest Songs100 Best Albums of the 2000s100 Greatest Beatles Songs Song Stories“Hold On”Wilson Phillips | 1990

This harmonizing trio may have had strong musical genes on their side — two were the daughters of Brian Wilson, the third had John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas as her parents — but their family connections also provided their share of heartbreak. Chynna Phillips, who wrote this song about difficulties she faced growing up, told Rolling Stone she had a lot of anger because her father was never there for her. "But there comes a time in your life when it keeps coming up and you have to face it."

More Song Stories entries » Twitter   Channels Music Movies Politics Artists Photos Videos Follow Us   Facebook   Twitter   YouTube   RSS   Foursquare   Tumblr Subscribe Subscribe Give A Gift Back Issues Customer Service RS Archive Digital Access Additional Advertise Contact Privacy Policy Your Privacy Rights Terms of Use Sitemap Affiliates RS Fine Art Cover Series RS Cover Reprints RS Wine Club RS Music Video School Wenner Media Websites: Rolling Stone| Us Weekly| Men's Journal| Jann S. Wenner Copyright ©2013 Rolling Stone; Jann S. Wenner, editor and publisher  

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