Stephen Malkmus debuted his Trad Tech band in Portland ahead of Sky Blue Sky fest (setlists, audio & video)
Stephen Malkmus released Traditional Technique, a psych-folk-inspired album made with Matt Sweeney and The Decemberists’ Chris Funk, in early 2020, right before the pandemic hit. He was supposed to tour for the album later that year, which got postponed a couple times and has not been rescheduled.
He’s back in the saddle, though, and played his first show with his Trad Tech band — Funk, Interpol’s Brad Truax, and drummer Jake Morris — in Portland on Sunday (1/16) as a warm-up for their appearance at Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky destination festival in Mexico (which went on despite Omicron). His set was heavy on Traditional Techniques songs, but also featured a few new ones, as well as Pavement’s “Father to a Sister of Thought,” and Silver Jews’ “Blue Arrangements.”
Via Stereogum, audio of Malkmus’ full Portland set has surfaced, and there is now video of the whole show via Instagram, too. Check out both below.
The Sky Blue Sky fest set was pretty similar, and you can check out the setlist for that below, as well.
No word on new Stephen Malkmus dates, but he’ll soon be busy with Pavement, who will be on their reunion tour in Europe and North America later this year, including four shows at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre (tickets are still available for 10/3).
Pavement’s long-awaited deluxe reissue of Terror Twilight is out in April via Matador.
SETLIST: Stephen Malkmus @ Alberta Abbey 1/16/2021 (via)
Amberjack
Xian Man
Signal Western
Say Goodbye
Wandering Around This Planet
Brainwashed
Juliefuckingette
Shadowbanned
The Greatest Own in Legal History
Drink America Dry
Don’t Trip Alone
Blue Arrangements (Silver Jews)
Drum Circles
Father to a Sister of Thought (Pavement)
1% of One
SETLIST: Stephen Malkmus @ Sky Blue Sky 1/18/2022 (via)
Amberjack
Xian Man
Signal Western
Say Goodbye
Wandering Around This Planet
Brainwashed
Juliefuckingette
Shadowbanned
The Greatest Own in Legal History
Drink America Dry
Don’t Trip Alone
(Unknown Song)
Blue Arrangements (Silver Jews song)
(Unknown Song) (Looking for My Mama)
Drum Circles
Father to a Sister of Thought (Pavement)
1% of One
