August 2010, 40 Watt, Athens, Ga.
“Last time we were at the 40 Watt the only light was a light bulb hanging from the middle of the ceiling,” said Roger Miller, guitarist for the legendary Mission of Burma. “There’s a lot more light now.”
The last time a simple 40-watt bulb lit the club was nearly three decades ago — but it was that image and Mission of Burma was one of those bands which have allowed the 40 Watt to become what it has. Thirty years later both are thriving like never before.
Mission of Burma ended the 2010 edition of Popfest with a powerful flourish, blowing up the Watt with a stunning display of fast guitar and pounding bass to the delight of the packed house. Roger, joined onstage by bassist Clint Conley and drummer Peter Prescott, showcased songs from their entire catalog during the hour and 15-minute set — playing old classics “This is Not a Photograph” (from 1981’s Signals, Calls, and Marches) with new ones such as “1,2,3 Partyy!” (from 2009’s The Sound the Speed the Light). “If you look there’s pop in there somewhere,” Clint said referring to the band’s inclusion in Popfest. “It’s under a lot of layers.”
I’ve never seen MOB before, and I never thought I’d get the chance. Vs., the band’s 1982 album, is one of the best albums of the era, and when the three played “Secrets,” “Mica,” “Einstein’s Day” and the amazing “That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate,” it was all I could do from leaping out of my skin in joy. Songs almost 30 years old should sound dated, but these didn’t — and that goes to the depth and importance of Mission of Burma. The albums of the past meld so well with the ones from the present (ONoffON and The Obliterati), you sometimes wonder if the band invented a time machine in 1981 to see what people in 2009 were listening to.
Onstage the guys are relentless. Roger is a whirlwind with the guitar, while Clint plays the bass with passion and fervor, it becomes a part of his body. Peter, who added humorous remarks between songs, is a rock behind the set, perfectly melding the sound in front of them.
As for the sound — the thunderous, roaring, magnificent sound — the last time I heard the Watt shudder like that was when The Buzzcocks took the stage. I guess birds of a feather …
When it couldn’t get any better, it did. The guys ended the set with “Academy Fight Song,” one of those songs I hoped to see live during my lifetime and never did. “That one was for Peter Buck,” Roger said when it was over.
No Roger, that was for me — I’m sure Peter’s seen you play that one live before.
Dammit that was good stuff.
