Gig played on 30/08/05

What the f*ck did this sound like in 1970?

It's a question that nags repeatedly throughout this enervating and exhilarating concert, as the reformed Stooges - Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Ashton, his drumming brother Scott and former Minutemen bassist Mike Watt standing in for the late Dave Alexander - tear through their classic sophomore album "Funhouse". Back then, a combination of bad drugs, bad management and internecine feuding ensured that "Funhouse" bombed and The Stooges were dropped by their label like a hot potato, but right now this sounds like rock'n'roll at its most pure, a feral rush of sonic power that shows a band whose members are pushing 60, embarrassing bands half their age.

"We're f*ckin' thrilled and amazed to be here!" cries Iggy before adding, "We're f*ckin' thrilled and amazed to be anywhere!" Judging by the crowd's reaction, he's not the only one. This is the opening night of All Tomorrow's Parties' 'Don't Look Back' series, where classic albums are to be played in their entirety and the prospect of one of rock's most influential albums being performed by as close-to the original line-up as possible has guaranteed a sell-out crowd and a feverish level of expectation.

And boy, do The Stooges deliver. As the bare-chested Iggy bounces, yelps and snarls his way across the stage, the portly figure of Ron Ashton remains a picture of calm and collected stoicism as he launches into "Down On The Street". It's elemental - primordial even - and beyond exciting. Aided and abetted by Scott and Watts' bowel-bombing rhythm section, "Loose" becomes an utterly lascivious stomp which prompts Iggy to hump the top of the bass amps before attempting to strangle himself with his mic lead.

"TV Eye" and "Dirt" are dispatched with an element of shock-and-awe but it's with the appearance of saxophonist Steve Mackay that The Stooges shift into higher gear. Blowing sheets of avant-noise, his horn articulates Iggy's howled, "Outta my mind on a Saturday night!" on "1970" before whipping-up a vortex of sound that crosses the pain barrier on the frenzied "Funhouse" and "L.A. Blues".

This is rock'n'roll with a clenched fist and a defiant sneer that, by virtue of the fact that The Stooges' music was so far ahead of it's time, knocks any notions of nostalgia into through the ceiling. Returning with the nihilism of "1969" and "No Fun", The Stooges display how at odds they were with the prevailing mood of the age and how timeless these gems are. But still they raise that nagging question:

What the fuck did this sound like in 1970?

by James Marshall