Gettin' Iggy with it

Normally, a band that was founded 40 years ago and recently released a bad reunion album wouldn't be anyone's idea of a good show. Factor in the lead singer pouncing around shirtless and in tight pants, and it sounds like a disaster. But there's nothing remotely normal about the Stooges, who put on one of the year's best shows last night at Terminal 5.



Tearing into "Loose" and "Down on the Street" seconds after appearing onstage, it appeared that the Stooges were going to run through all their classics before the 30-minute mark. Thankfully, there's not a single runt on the band's three original albums, and song after song of unhinged, high-energy craziness tore the house up all night long. The intensity level never dropped, and punk prototypes "I Wanna Be Your Dog," "1969" and "No Fun" were freed from the shoddy production of the first album. "I am you!" bellowed rambunctious singer Iggy Pop, somewhere between diving in the front row, climbing up onto the Marshall amps and gyrating like someone getting an exorcism. Somehow, he was never winded, and his powerful, versatile singing dominated the songs as much as any instrument.

Iggy Pop is a marvel, really something that has to be seen to be believed. It's hard to think of a more anarchistic frontman--everyone from Perry Farrell to Karen O cops his act, but the original Stooge still delivers better than just about anyone. I'd be impressed to see any lead singer crowd surf, destroy the stage equipment or just run around as much as Iggy did, but before Friday, the thought of a 61-year-old wreaking so much havoc was downright inconceivable. "I want mayhem!" screamed the lean-looking frontman, like any other punk rock singer. The difference being that Iggy followed up on it by bringing a great deal of the audience up onstage with him. Security struggled to keep fans from mobbing the band, but outsiders observing the melee would be concerned for the audience's safety. After all, they were dangerously close to that long-haired, free-swinging madman.



Not that it was all Iggy's show--the Asheton brothers (Ron on guitar, Scott on drums) exploded through the PA with grimy, distorted riffage that almost overcame Terminal 5's awful acoustics. Coupled with the fact that all the band's equipment had been stolen days earlier, underwhelming sound could be forgiven, but the Stooges unleashed a torrential noise hurricane, filled out by revered Minutemen bassist Mike Watt and original saxophonist Steve MacKay. The guitar was mixed way below the vocals and drums, but it still sounded lethal.

A few new songs made their way into the set, and while none of them were particularly great, the band played with enough vigor to make them sound in place with the classics. It would have been preferable to hear something like "Dirt," but Iggy and the Stooges could've performed My Chemical Romance songs all night and still pulled off a great show. Stoic and focused, Ron Asheton's coolness complemented Iggy's rowdiness and vice versa. By the time the band had melted "Fun House" into the chaotic, punk free jazz of "L.A. Blues," they were exhausting all their energy into their respective instruments, seemingly driving the set to a close. I couldn't have expected more, but once again, the Stooges were full of surprises.

The band hadn't played anything 1973's Raw Power all night--despite being one of the greatest rock albums in existence, it features a different guitarist (James Williamson.) Plus, the Stooges have enough great songs elsewhere to be able to phase it out of the set. But they rolled out "Search and Destroy," a Raw Power highlight that remains of the fiercest songs ever recorded. The Stooges sped through that and a few more songs, barely pausing for breath, never letting one musician solo while the rest took a break, and ignoring all of their (admittedly awesome) slower, psychedelic-influenced songs like "We Will Fall."



"Turn on all these fuckin' lights!" shouted Iggy to whoever was working the house lights. "Like in high school! Like prom time! Like Guantanamo!" he continued, before the lighting tech obeyed him. Iggy grinned maliciously. "Speaking of torture, this next song..."

If this is torture, chain me to the wall.