When 90s US indie outfit Pavement announced they were re-forming again for dates this year, it marked a decade since their last re-formation, and 20 years since their original split. They’ve released no new material in between, and have always been known for their tensions and resentments: the last show of their first phase, in 1999, involved singer Stephen Malkmus hanging handcuffs from the mic stand and declaring “these symbolise what it’s like being in a band”. So it was easy to chalk it up as another cynical cash-grab tour in an industry already overflowing with nostalgia and anniversary shows.
Yet when Pavement kicked off the tour at Spain’s Primavera festival earlier this year, rather than running through the motions with gritted teeth in palpable discomfort, they radiated joy, fun and overwhelmed gratitude. Malkmus seemed relatively at ease, while other members, especially Bob Nastanovich, hurtled around the stage like sugar-loaded toddlers, screaming what may well be the band’s final run of screams.
