Silversun Pickups’ third visit to The Midland put them in a tough (and unfamiliar) position

May 3, 2024

Andrew Dodderidge,

Silversun Pickups. // photo by Andrew Dodderidge

Brian Aubert, decked out in a large black sweater covered in gray hearts, raised both his hands to the crowd in a rock n’ roll type salute at the Midland during their show on Wednesday, April 24.

“Surprise! We worship the dark lord,” he gently spoke into the mic, in his ever-so calm Aubert way.

It was a moment that brought me into their stratosphere, one where the band has brought audiences for decades and learned how from over a thousand shows at this point. Or maybe the alcohol was finally kicking in. But if one thing is for certain, Aubert has it, and clearly does not get enough credit for what he has done for alternative rock in my lifetime.

LA four-piece Silversun Pickups are best known for pioneering that scene in the late 2000s. Now six albums in (plus a major EP), it’s their change in sound that defines the group, fluctuating from a grungier shoegaze with distorted guitars to a strong focus on heavier electronics from their third record on. And these sounds shine through most on their most recent work, Physical Thrills, which saw the band highlight a night-high four of its tracks.

Rocket. // photo by Andrew Dodderidge

This midweek affair had a late curtain time, but with only two groups on the bill, there was not much to worry about. LA-based opener Rocket hit the stage at 8 p.m. and, after a few minutes of tweaking and experimenting, began their 30-minute freak-out at 8:10.

The relatively unknown indie band just recently released a seven-song EP back in October, their first work in a hopefully interesting career, unattached to a label. Silversun’s last two shows at The Midland featured the giants playing with other rock giants, like Frank Turner and Foals, so a small, hidden gem like this to open things up was a refreshing sentiment for the longtime fans, even with the upper deck closed off.

In the middle of Pickups’ headlining sprawl, Aubert had a certain praise to give, albeit a bit creepy.

“We’re losing Rocket tomorrow – unless we trap them in a box,” he proclaimed. “That’d be kind of weird.”

Around 9:10 p.m., Aubert and co. came on. Named after a liquor store in California, hence the phrasing “Pickups”, they formed in 2000, six years after Aubert met bassist Nikki Monninger on a plane in 1994, with Aubert noticing her thievery of alcohol from a drink cart. Drummer Christopher Gunlao and sound aficionado Joe Lester later joined the group in ‘02, replacing two early members before Pickups’ first LP in ‘06.

Carnavas and Swoon (both on Dangerbird) catapulted their influence in the genre, specifically with “Lazy Eye” and “Panic Switch”. Both tracks found their way onto Rock Band and Guitar Hero tracklists, and the quartet played a number of late-night shows while attending Coachella, playing with Muse, and even crafting an MTV Unplugged set.

Seven of the 19 songs on the night were featured from these two mammoths, including opener “Growing Old Is Getting Old”, whose nice and steady build makes for a nice soothing in for the patient crowd, and third choice “Well Thought Out Twinkles”.

Sophomore effort Swoon is still a killer effort to this day, even 15 years later. The guitar tones somehow feel before their time, something the band has been unable to replicate with their current work, while Aubert’s magical vocals scream the best of Billy Corgan.

Then came Neck of the Woods and a change of producer in 2012. The third go-around for the indie lads moved them to the top of the iTunes charts and headlining a U.S. tour, resulting in a seemingly match made in heaven with longtime legendary producer Butch Vig two albums later. The big question is what to make of the pairing.

They have seemingly cut out Widow’s Weeds from their live performance (aside from lead single “It Doesn’t Matter Why” and “Don’t Know Yet”) in favor of older cuts, but the Thrills material felt cozy and obtainable and not too distant as bridges for their edgier songs in the setlist.

After playing Pikul EP’s “Kissing Families,” the dip in quality felt noticeable, with only one of the next six renditions coming from their heyday. Opening set finisher “Nightlight” (possibly a dangerous choice) forced us to say goodbye for a few minutes before an obvious encore filled with noticeably absent hits.

And kudos to the wait time for the encore. Most shows have become dumbed-down, basic 30-second exits and returns, but here we had to wait a couple of minutes for a comeback, possibly leaving some doubt in the air for a run-through of “Lazy Eye”. A nostalgic moment for sure.

“Empty Nest”, the best song on the latest LP Physical Thrills, finds the group firing on cylinders, every line feeling like its own hook, begging to be blared with the windows down in the summertime, but just like “Panic” earlier, “Empty’s” chorus felt a little quiet and faint during this encore, with an almost overbearingly noisy bass taking over both cuts. But that’s what will happen when the in-house production rules your best songs.

“Go home and do whatever makes you feel good”, said Aubert, with the night clearly fading into obscurity.

“Lazy” ended the evening. No overly flashy theatrics, no drastic demands, just a good old safe space to rest your weary soul when the going gets tough. With the group clearly doing whatever they want these days, to the displeasure of some of the OG fans who prefer the grungier noise, it’s the live show that is saving these guys.

All photos by Andrew Dodderidge

Silversun Pickups