Keith Nealy: If not the best, one of the most memorable shows for me was when I worked as a crew member for Sonic Youth in 1990-91. After three months of shows with Neil Young and Crazy Horse, there were a handful of shows in Japan. One of the shows there was in a theatre and the vibe was very orderly with uniformed security guards/cops to make sure that it stayed that way — no standing, no freaky shows of emotion, etc., allowed. The band kept encouraging the kids to get out of their seats and a few did, beginning to shape the velvet rope that separated them from the band (I shit you not). Security is not digging this at all — trying to make the kids sit down, shouting at them.
By the end of the show, the band was grabbing kids and bringing them onstage and the security was overwhelmed with an onslaught of kids running around in the feedback, cops chasing them across the stage during the set. Some of them started surfing on road cases across the stage, and I remember Lee grabbing one of the cops’ hats off his head. Total, utter chaos, but no actual violence. Those kids were so happy, absolutely gleeful. We had to be snuck out of the building quickly and I think we went out for noodles after.
Cell’s “Free People” single is out now.