The elusive Jeff Mangum – he of reverentially adored experimental folk act Neutral Milk Hotel – rarely tours. This, compounded by his strangely personal and dream-provoking lyrics, has caused a boiling fervor over the singer-songwriter that’s rarely seen outside of Morrissey and teen pop stars.
In a recent AV Club article (that also mentions Morrissey and teen pop stars), an author who is somewhat lukewarm on the band, but nonetheless attends a show on this recent tour – to see what all the fuss is about – describes NMH fans as believing the band’s 1998 album Aeroplane Over the Sea is “the sacred masterpiece or apex of ’90s indie-rock” (For the record, it’s both, thanks.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUd9uDREHcs&feature=related
For the counterpoint, the other author in the article sums up the obsession from the start: “This Jeff Mangum tour wasn’t meant for you, the casual fan. It was meant for the diehards who snapped up all the tickets immediately when they went on sale, who fell deeply in love with a record over the years and never thought they’d get the chance to see any of its songs performed live, because its creator was notoriously reticent about performing.”
That said, Mangum has had a double set of shows locked down at the Fox Theater for months now, and yes, most of those tickets are now snapped up (see Picks this week).
And yet, as of this morning, there is a brand new show added to this tour: this Sunday, April 8 at Great American Music Hall. Tickets go on sale today (Mon/2) at 3pm. That’s right, after all that waiting, all that obsessed fan countdown, you’ll now also have the chance to see him in San Francisco proper, at a stunning venue half the size.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1irjRAvy9c
Jeff Mangum
With Andrew, Scott & Laura (members of Elf Power & The Gerbils)
Sun/8, 8pm, $36
Great American Music Hall
859 O’Farrell, SF
(415) 885-0750
www.gamhtickets.com