Pavement Politely Pounds the Paramount

The September 19 Pavement show at Denver’s Paramount show reminded of years past, even down to the seating arrangements. For me, anyway.

Story & Photos: John Cargile

For starters, one of the ’90s best indie bands showed up, strung up tight and perfect, and delivered a set with their most popular songs, and included plenty of hidden gems. Stephen Malkmus – probably Pavement‘s most familiar indie-music household name – kept things all business. He watched the packed house with approval, and aplomb, playing a flawless set alongside the band that helped launch the internet in the early ’90s. Malkmus didn’t even respond when I yelled about Nikola Jokic’s fantasy basketball prospects for the year (and we all know Malkmus is all basketball, and all Nuggets).

Stephen Malkmus – probably Pavement’s most familiar indie-music household name – kept things all business.

My personal favorite setlist concentration came from Wowee Zowee, which led the setlist in terms of most songs, and the band spun it all out with love for us. Wowee Zowee drove the probably the apex of the band’s live shows in the indie rock world a few dacades ago, after confusing – and then delighting, the music industry critical elite. This masterpiece features a glistening blend of rock star anthems and early punk angst, under a heavy syrup of true slackertude layered on top for good measure.

Slanted & Enchanted is on many a best albums ever list (It’s common to see most reviewers list it as one of their top 10 of all time), yet the boys only played a few of the album’s seminal songs. The same goes for their breakout – not only their most recognizable album, but likely the thematic anchor of the ’90s Real Lolapalooza generation – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain. Knowing what they know best, Pavement thought it most appropriate to feature just a few from that indie bible on the set list that night.

I began to think about how it amazes me just what Pavement is…

As I watched, listened, reminisced, and lost myself, I began to think about how it amazes me that Pavement was – and is – tagged as one of the best bands of the 90s, yet so many of today’s music fans seem to have no clue about who they are. That night there was a well-known Denver music influencer standing by me, who was also standing in the same trajectory from me at a Pavement show in the 90s – like, exactly the same. That band onstage looked a lot like us. Dudes still holding onto the music they love in different ways.

Looking forward to seeing them in another decade. Maybe my friend and I will share the same proximity again.

While the breakdown of the albums the music in the Pavement setlist was off, it was also interesting, I thought you’d all like to hear it. Keep in mind that this band not only may have defined the ’90s, the also helped launch the internet as we know it. I feel privileged to have seen them a few times.

So here’s the set list – and listen to it on this Spotify playlist:

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