WORDS: Benny Sun
PICTURES: Shannon McMahon
March 11, 2023
I could feel the ground shake to the beat of the drum, my chest shivered to the rhythm of the bass, and I was exhausted at the assault of noise slamming me over the course of the night.
But it was exhilarating, so exhilarating. I felt like I couldn’t take a breath, and I didn’t want to. All I wanted was to bathe in the ferocity of Unwound for the rest of my life, to spend eternity in the hellish ecstasy of their guitars and drums.
It’d be remiss to pretend like I’m Unwound’s biggest fan. I’m familiar with them by name, but their catalog is in the list of music I tell myself I’ll get around to listening to. Unfamiliarity might be the name of the game then, as I walked into Irving Plaza earplug-less and naive, excited to see a fun, not at all terrifying night of music.
I was actually more familiar with the opener of the night, Horsegirl. It feels like Horsegirl’s been playing opening gigs for the entirety of the indie rock scene. They have supported legendary bands like Pavement and Wilco and newer acts like Black Midi and Black Country, New Road.
It’s important to underscore how minimal the band was. The three-piece played their airtight set with a few guitars, an occasional instrument swap, and what can only be described as the most simplistic drum set I’ve ever seen. They’re a great band to see—get on the Horsegirl hype train before it leaves!
By the time Unwound hit the stage, the crowd was ready for their energy. It was obvious whether you were an indie rock teenybopper born after Unwound played their final shows, and a hardcore old-head who first heard Unwound from a burnt CD handed from friend to friend. Even after over twenty years of inactivity, Unwound hasn’t lost touch with the excellency that brought them stardom.
Ten minutes of an eerie weather report preceded the show, forcing fans to wonder whether to brace for impact or not. Finally hitting the stage at the 10 PM mark, Unwound barrelled through a setlist of their greatest hits (impressive for a band that never technically had a hit). It was nearly impossible to tell they had been off the road for two decades. Lead singer and guitarist Justin Trosper embodied a man half his age on stage, unleashing his unrelenting screams on an overjoyed crowd.
At the end of their set, the band grabbed the buckets of flowers that had been sitting on stage for the duration of the concert and began passing them out to the crowd. Passing might be a mischaracterization, fans near the back were still treated with flowers, catching them as they flew through the air. It was a fitting scene for the legendary band, as there was clearly a sense of triumph as they exited the stage.
Reunion tours are always tricky. There are far more reunion horror stories than successes. There are too many tales of tired instrumentalists and annoyed frontmen sullying the advent of a long awaited homecoming. Luckily, Unwound came back, guns blazing, leaving audiences awestruck from their bombastic performance. Unwound seem done with the road for now, but look out for further tour announcements. It would be a shame if a band as raucous as Unwound stayed quiet for too long.
