Members of Sonic Youth were busy Friday night (Dec. 6), as ¾ of the band – Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelly reunited on stage during Thurston’s residency at the Grammy Museum in Brooklyn, NY as it wraps up this weekend. During this brief reunion, the trio played an hour-long set of improv and noise. Many in attendance at the show described the evening as magical.
Rolling Stone editor Simon Vozick-Levinson was also in attendance and said, “Just saw Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley play an hour of improvised instrumental noise, which for a SY fan like me is sort of like seeing 3/4 of The Beatles jam. Quite Spellbinding! I saw two Kim Gordon solo shows in 2024 that were easily among the best things I saw all year. So was this. Sonic Youth is over, long live Sonic Youth.”
Meanwhile, bassist Kim Gordon, the only member of Sonic Youth’s longest-running four-piece lineup that wasn’t at The Stone last night, was in LA helping Dinosaur Jr. at their Where You Been 30th anniversary celebration at The Bellwether. They covered The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog” together and Dinosaur Jr. also brought out MJ Lenderman once more to join them on their own classic “In A Jar,” just like he did the night before.
Thurston, Lee & Steve from Sonic Youth played the Stone tonight; it was magical. Bob Dylan said one great thing about rock is that you can hear 1 second out of a passing car and know who it is. Only four people on the planet can make that SY sound. It was beautiful, even moving. pic.twitter.com/iBtXuhjqw4
— Michael Azerrad (@michaelazerrad) December 7, 2024
just saw thurston moore, lee ranaldo, and steve shelley play an hour of improvised instrumental noise, which for a SY fan like me is sort of like seeing 3/4 of the beatles jam. spellbinding! pic.twitter.com/arDYFrRPEp
— Simon Vozick-Levinson (@simonwilliam) December 7, 2024
Kim Gordon joined Dinosaur Jr to cover The Stooges in LA, the same night the other 3/4 of Sonic Youth reunited in NYC pic.twitter.com/8MoKD6E2FS
— BrooklynVegan (@brooklynvegan) December 7, 2024
fucking christ i threw up in my lyft this morning becuase MJ lenderman could possibly be at my dinosaur jr. show and then KIM GORDON AND MJ SHOWED AHGHRHEGEHEHHDDJD and i was handed the set list oh my fuck pic.twitter.com/7xRqZmYsQj
— ʕʘ‿ʘʔ (@fakeillnesses) December 7, 2024