Guided by Voices - Thank You Very Much for Absolutely Nothing (FULL Concert Film)

Happy labor day to all! And what better way to commemorate this day of appreciation for the American worker than with Guided by Voices? Specifically, this rare, coveted footage of a young GBV hungry to make their mark! This video was shot at the Dayton Riverfest on May 26th, 1986, right around the release of their debut, EP Forever Since Breakfast. This captures the band right before they stopped playing live, with a wildly different lineup. Bob here sports short hair and a plaid button-up, as though he just got off teaching Elementary school. Mitch Mitchell is here on bass looking ever-so 1980s. In place of Tobin Sprout, we see early second guitarist Paul Comstock. We also have early drummer Peyton Eric, someone I never really thought a particularly great drummer, but man is he killing it! They play 16 songs (sadly the first two not captured), taking us through a cool, angular report of Bob's soul. The four boys really rock here, particularly on tracks like One Drop, She Wants to Know, Sometimes I Cry, and an excellent Dantes cover. This video is also hilarious to watch. It's very clearly someone's home footage from the show, playing with the camera negative filter a few times throughout, ending with four minutes of static, and taking detours to look at some ridiculously dressed audience members. For what it is, though, the clarity is great and the direction gives us a better look at the band than most pro-shot concert films! (which isn't saying much) This is a great video, and I'm happy to finally share it with you all. Long live Rockathon! Happy 40th GBV! Here's to 40 years more! 0:00 One Drop (partial) 2:44 She Wants to Know 6:06 Fat and Friendly 8:46 Troopers in the Town 11:04 Like I Do 13:51 Fountain of Youth 17:42 Banners (pollard/comstock) 20:08 About This World 23:54 Ruby Tuesday (rolling stones) 26:18 Sometimes I Cry 29:14 The Other Place 32:38 Can't Get Enough of Your Love (dantes) 35:12 When 2 Hours Seem Like 5 38:39 60 Boats