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Watch Pylon’s Entire 2005 Reunion Gig at Athens PopFest

pylon, athens popfest 2005

Back in November, Slicing Up Eyeballs premiered a little-seen video of R.E.M. playing a 40-minute concert in Athens, Georgia in 1981, a full 18 months before the future-indie idols’ debut EP, Chonic Town. The footage came courtesy of Athens label Wuxtry Records, which has just unearthed another bit of local legend: an hour-long set from perennially underappreciated alt-rock forebears Pylon. As Slicing Up Eyeballs notes, the gig was recorded in August 2005 at legendary Georgia venue 40 Watt Club during the annual Athens PopFest. The jangle-pop foursome had just reunited the previous year in 2004, after breaking up (for the second time) in 1991. Pylon went on to play shows through 2007 and 2008, before guitarist Randall Bewley suffered a heart attack and died in 2009 at the age of 53.

The 16-song set starts with “Read a Book” (from the band’s 1980 debut LP Gyrate) and early single “Cool,” which has since been covered by fellow GA foursome Deerhunter. To wrap things up, vocalist Vanessa Briscoe Hay screeches through Gyrate‘s closing temper tantrum, “Stop it.” Watch the full hour-long concert up above.

Pylon @ Athens PopFest 2005, 40 Watt Club, Aug. 13, 2005 set list:

1. “Read a Book
2. “Cool”
3. “Italian Movie Theme”
4. “Human Body”
5. “Working is No Problem”
6. “Gravity”
7. “Danger”
8. “3X3″
9. “Crazy”
10. “Volume”
11. “Sugarpop”
12. “Beep”
13. “Feast on My heart
14. ” M-Train”
15. “K”
16. “Stop it”