Chatham Gets Sonic Youth, Godspeed for "Guitar Trio"

Plus members of Hüsker Dü, Silver Mt. Zion, Tortoise, U.S. Maple, Final Fantasy
While the "if it weren't for..." game is a dangerous one to play, we're going to try it anyway: if it weren't for Rhys Chatham's work in the New York avant-garde and no wave scenes in the late 1970s, indie rock wouldn't be quite what it is today.
The ripples of Chatham's influence can be felt throughout various scenes and genres over thirty years on, and they certainly color the music of his friends in Sonic Youth, for one. So be glad Rhys was out there in NYC all those years ago churning out single-chord minimalist jams, and be glad he continues to perform and compose in this century.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of his "Guitar Trio", Chatham-- still a road warrior after all these years-- is taking the landmark minimalist piece across the country beginning this weekend. And that's not all: each engagement on the 13-date tour will feature a unique set of performers from the surrounding area comprising, along with Chatham himself, the "Guitar Trio All-Stars".
Original 1977 Visuals from filmmaker Robert Longo will accompany all the performances. Additionally, Chatham will record the events and include the best parts on a forthcoming CD titled Guitar Trio Is My Life, named after an exclamation from an anonymous audience member and Chatham devotee in Cleveland.
New York boasts perhaps the most impressive lineup, gathering Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, Kim Gordon, and Lee Ranaldo, along with ex-Swans drummer Jonathan Kane, Modern Lover Ernest Brooks III, the USA Is a Monster's Colin Langenus, San Agustin's David Daniell, composer Alan Licht, Longo himself, and Essentialist buds Adam Willis and Byron Westbrook.
In Montreal, Chatham's rounded up members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Set Fire to Flames, A Silver Mount Zion, Black Ox Orkestar, Jerusalem in my Heart, Nutsak, and Crackpot, along with celebrated axe-man Harris Newman. Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett and Do Make Say Think's Julie Penner join a 17-piece "Guitar Trio" ensemble (plus strings!) in Toronto.
Chicago collects a formidable roster in its own right, including Daniell, Tortoise's John McEntire, Doug McCombs, and Jeff Parker, Town and Country's Josh Abrams and Ben Vida (also of Bird Show and Central Falls), U.S. Maple's Adam Vida (also of Central Falls) and Todd Rittmann, and 90 Day Men/Lichens/Dreamweapon local hero and Empty Bottle bartender extraordinaire Rob Lowe.
Rittman, Daniell, Lowe, and Ben Vida join Chris Rosenau and Jon Mueller of Collections of Colonies of Bees in Milwaukee, while Cincinnati's gig will feature Burning Star Core's Spencer Yeh. Hüsker Dü's Greg Norton, meanwhile, lends his skills to the Minneapolis set. The remaining bills are still coming together-- consult local listings for the latest details.
And if all this is totally your bag, you'd better be checking out the Table of the Elements Festival that's going on right now in Brooklyn, featuring Chatham along with Jonathan Kane's February, Sunburned Hand of the Man, Badgerlore, Lichens/Licht, and more. All events go down at the Issue Project Room and the fest closes January 28.