Alternative music legend Kim Gordon, of Sonic Youth fame, rocked a packed house on Monday, June 17, at Headliners, bringing the unique sound of her new album, The Collective, to Louisville. Playing the album in its entirety, she opened with “BYE BYE,” a song filled with intense trap beats, and laden with heavy industrial guitar. Clips from old movies like Repo Man and psychedelic images were projected behind the band, completely absorbing the audience into The Collective’s majestic, fuzzy chaos.
The aggressive trap beats perfectly accented Gordon’s vocals, known for its spoken word-esque, droning style, and poetic lyrics. The energy on the floor in front of the stage was palpable, with fans of all ages rocking along to discordant sounds of songs like “I’m A Man” and “The Believers.”
Cheers swelled as Gordon returned for a five-song encore, with songs from her past solo work like “Hungry Baby” and “Grass Jeans.” The crowd grew louder as the band attacked their instruments with unique ferocity. The guitar player even played with a screwdriver, bringing a piercing quality to the guitar tones that seemed to whip the crowd into a frenzy. She ended the show in the most Kim Gordon type of way, leaving the audience stunned as she manipulated her guitar around to produce sounds of feedback that were both haunting and beautiful.
This article appears in Jun 19 – Jul 2, 2024.