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When Superchunk wrote "Slack Motherf*cker" in 1990, they unwittingly penned a Generation X anthem before Douglas Coupland had even coined the term. And though the key words to the song are "I'm working, but I'm not working for you," they've since become one of the hardest working bands in indie rock -- managing their own Merge Records, touring endlessly and relentlessly releasing singles and side projects. During their Saturday night show at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall, Superchunk proved their music is still a labor of love.
In fact, it was Superchunk's enthusiasm for their "job" that most impressed the crowd. A few power chords into their opener, "Unbelievable Things," the first three rows of the audience were pogoing in unison. Sometimes, though, it was hard to discern exactly what anyone on stage was saying; this is a band that sheepishly mumbles introductions to songs before blowing the roof off. Guitarist Jim Wilbur's introduction to "On the Mouth," a fable the supposedly explained the song's origin, was typically dubious: "We used to stay at people's houses. And when we stayed at my house, Mac [McCaughan, the band's frontman] was on the couch and he kissed my mother, 'cause he thought she was a groupie."
Far more representative of the band's current material was "Marquee," an extraordinarily melodic tune from the new (and eighth) album, "Indoor Living." To flesh out "Marquee" and some of the other keyboard-heavy new songs, soundman Jason Ward joined the band for the rest of the show.
Not surprisingly, one major highlight of the show was "Cast Iron," a fan favorite that had McCaughan running up and down the stage, guitar screeching along the way, as a lone crowd surfer got horizontal for a moment. "How many people here are straight-edge?" asked Wilbur, clearly the designated between-songs banter guy. "Show us your hands, show us the X's," he cried. The band then rocked out with "Hyper Enough," before ending their set with "Martinis on the Roof," another song from "Indoor Living."
The big highlight, though, was "Slack Motherf*cker," played as an encore. Perhaps because the song could be heard as Superchunk's answer to the Who's "My Generation," McCaughan even borrowed Pete Townshend's trademark windmill guitar move. Just as the Who tired of their angry-young-man anthem, Superchunk will eventually rethink "Slack." By then, though, they'll be older and wiser -- but still carrying on in the spirit of the song.