'Tis the season.....for a band reunion (finally living up to the blog's subtitle)

It is definitely the season for a band reunion! So many bands are getting back together, whether it be for a one off occasion or something more permanent.  This has been happening for a while, but it really hit me last night.  Last night was a prime example of when "getting the band back together" is a fantastic idea.  First up was Pangaea.  These guys are a local Brisbane band who were formed around 1991 and haven't really done anything since 1997 (primarily because of their involvement in so many other bands - Ben Ely with Regurgitator and Dave Atkins with Resin Dogs).  They could be described as funk reggae metal and they were awesome live.  And they were awesome live again last night, supporting Helmet.  They have even written some new songs which were on a par with their old stuff.  Then Helmet came on and played a bunch of new songs - so far so okay.  This band broke up in 1998 and got back together in 2004.  Midway into the set, their original guitarist, a guy called Peter from Brisbane, Australia, came onto the stage and played a few old songs with the band, and the place just came alive.  He was with the band from formation in 1988 until 1993.  Besides the fact that the early songs from Strap it On and Meantime are just so awesome, you could tell that Page Hamilton and Peter were having a lot of fun and really enjoying reminiscing.  It became a really good concert, especially when he came back in the encore to do their first ever single "Annoying Girl" to finish the show on a high (although probably the most childish song I've ever heard).
Def FX may also be reforming for a tour next year if there are enough "likes" on their Facebook page.  This was one of my fave bands as a 17-18 year old, they do a great rock/electronica fusion with a kickass frontwoman in Fiona Horne.  Hopefully they get enough likes for the tour, I will be there.
I can't even list all the bands that are reforming or have reformed and toured recently.  Stone Temple Pilots was one we saw earlier this year and although the newer stuff is a bit 'meh' it was certainly great to hear the classic material.  And this is what is at the heart of the 'reunion' movement.  A hell of a lot of new music is just crap, it's so soulless, fake, done to be popular or make money or worse, just to gain fame.  And I'm not just talking about pop and R'n'B which I can't stand anyway, in the post punk and emo genres there is a lot of crap too, as there was in the rap metal trend of the late 90s/early 00s.  The fact is that the music of our (relative) youth often seems to stand up better than newer music.  It is probably due to the rose coloured glasses effect, but hearing songs that remind you of a certain time in your life, usually when you were young/crazy/more carefree, just gives you a special feeling that people of a certain age don't get when Lady Gaga comes on.  Maybe in 10 years time some people will have that special feeling about a Lady Gaga song, but I highly doubt it.  I think Regurgitator (another band who took a break and came back again) said it best in their song -  "I like your old stuff better than your new stuff".  Although sometimes the magic can strike twice and the new music can be just as good or better.
The Soundwave organisers have certainly exploited the fondness for reunions, with a headlining spot on this year's Soundwave Revolution by Van Halen with David Lee Roth, not to mention Alice Cooper (did they ever really break up though - probably better filed under nostalgia than reunion) and Hole.  Previous years have had Faith no More (probably one of my favourite reunion tours), Sunny Day Real Estate, the Get Up Kids, and my favourite reunion concert of all - Alice in Chains (they had a good reason to break up, but getting back together with their new singer was an inspired move).
Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of great new music out there.  But you'll forgive me if I get excited about bands I used to love and soundtracked my youth getting back together and playing again.  I don't care if it's a one off or a permanent thing with new songs coming out.  I just want to feel that feeling one more time.... Even a few of my friend's bands, some of whom haven't played in almost 10 years, are toying with the idea of a one off show.  High Speed Reason are playing Shed 5 at the Gold Coast in late July.  Do I have to start a Facebook page to get Girls Germs and Bantha Fodder to give it a go as well?  The Bantha boys have a massive hurdle with their guitarist being in Sydney so it probably won't happen, but you couldn't blame a girl for trying.
Share your favourite reunion tour with me......  And check out some Def FX songs on Youtube and like their facebook page so I get to relive my 17 year old days!