So, finally, my friend Christy solved my years of neglect by lending me 'Mag Earwhig!', and offering me a ticket to their LA show. You may have heard of a couple of bands that GBV get compared to from time to time - you know, bands like the Beatles and the Who. I have to admit, GBV aren't exactly blazing a wholly new trail - but they are certainly doing a good job of sprucing up and revitalizing that well-traveled poppy rock path that others cleared for them. Front man Robert Pollard may well be a pop genius - to remain both freshly creative and culturally relevant for over a decade is not an easy task. Anyhow, despite the fact that he tends to belong to the "release everything I record" school of thought (which makes some of the band's releases a little uneaven), in a live setting you seem to get treated to mostly gems. And Pollard's fantastic mike-swinging, jumping, and high-kicking rockstar moves. And drinking. Lots of drinking.

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