Photos and Writing by Kyle Ostrander
Underground indie pioneers The Folk Implosion have reunited for their first tour in almost 30 years. The duo, composed of Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr, Sebadoh) and John Davis, are on the road supporting their new album Walk Thru Me. Their Sunday night show at TV Eye in NYC further cemented why the band has such a legacy and following, even after a long hiatus.
The room was filled with anticipation as the crowd pushed right up to the stage. “I never thought I’d get to see this band live. This is incredible!” said an audience member. The Folk Implosion began their set with Barlow on drums and Davis on guitar, playing several songs from their very first album. Barlow soon jumped out from behind the kit, grabbed his bass, and proceeded to play a few of the band’s newer songs. The set consisted of cuts from across their catalog, including the band’s Top 40 hit “Natural One”. Their songs covered a number of themes, including losing someone close to you, living in LA, and becoming a father.
The show had a very joyful and intimate feeling, as if we were all watching two best friends just having fun together playing music they love. Between songs there was fun banter from Barlow and Davis, who also treated fans to insights about the writing process for their new album. “We recorded the demos for Walk Thru Me on John’s iPad in his hot, dark attic. He’s the only person in the world I trust enough to follow into a dark attic!” joked Barlow. In translating their songs to the live stage, both members took on multi-instrumental responsibilities. Barlow alternated between bass and drums, while Davis also took on drums, guitar, and synth. And in what’s now become an almost trademark style for Barlow, he performed the show without any shoes, just his socks.
The Folk Implosion’s U.S. tour continues through mid-August. You can check out all the remaining show dates here.
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