It's no exaggeration to say that after Nirvana, shoegazer giants My Bloody Valentine have proven to be the most influential guitar band of the '90s, as well as one of the greatest psychedelic rock bands ever, period -- even though Kevin Shields and his three bandmates have not released a new album since their mind-blowing masterpiece "Loveless" in 1991, or performed on stage in this country since July 1992.
Now, at long last, the group will be returning to play in the U.S. in September after a handful of dates in Europe this summer, with at least half a dozen shows coming together on these shores -- including one in Chicago.
Only one Stateside gig has been confirmed so far -- an All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Upstate New York, according to the Daily Swarm -- but as someone who ranks seeing My Bloody Valentine perform live at First Avenue in Minneapolis in '92 as one of the best two or three concerts he's ever seen, you know I'll post the Chicago info the minute I ferret it out.
even though Kevin Shields and his three bandmates have not...or performed on stage in this country since July 1992"
Although his bandmates weren't with him, Shields played guitar with Primal Scream when they were at Metro during summer, 2000. So, he's been to the U.S. since 1992, just not performing MBV material.