Pavement (photo courtesy of Matador Records/Marcus Roth)

By the night's end, there was not a single person in the audience who wasn't straining their vocal cords cheering for the performers, who managed to show everyone at the Hollywood Bowl, which had hosted younger acts such as Phoenix and Vampire Weekend earlier in the season, how rock and roll was truly done.

No Age was the first group to take the stage, delivering a solid performance that had everyone's attention as stragglers streamed into the venue. Their performance was quick and tight, and it was my first chance to experience the group as they should be: loud, fast, and attention-getting. Vocals were swallowed up the instruments, yet No Age managed to start the night off with a bang.

Sonic Youth came right after. For me, it was the experience of a lifetime, for Sonic Youth is one of the bands that I have idolized ever since I first heard their incredible noisy distortion. Screeching guitars filled the thick air as members of the band brought out unearthly sounds from their instruments and consequently, put a huge grin on my face I wouldn't have been able to wipe off if forced.

Sonic Youth continually teased the audience, letting the end of each song linger on and on until every member of the audience was cheering, and they dove right into the next piece. Kim Gordon delivered some snarky humor, telling the audience in the middle of the set "Thanks guys... we're Pavement," then grinning and returning to the music with such passion that it would put the majority of younger bands these days to shame.

I lost myself in the dissonance, disregarding everything that was going on around me and being drawn deeper and deeper into the music. At several intervals during the show, members of the audience would stand on their bench and scream at the top of their lungs their appreciation for the music, and as Sonic Youth walked off the stage, I found myself wondering how that performance could possibly be topped.

Cigarette smoke swirled through the balmy night air as finally the members of Pavement walked onstage for their performance.

The crowd roared as the band dived right into the music, and a ripple of excitement surged through the audience as Pavement, yes Pavement, played one of their last American shows for their reunion tour. Just for us.

Lights were strung all over the stage, and it looked as though Pavement was just your friend's brother's band playing a backyard gig as you sat in lawn chairs and sipped warm beer with your friends. Albeit, a very big backyard, and a very big group of friends. And this was what made the show for memorable for me: while there was absolutely a communal feeling of excitement, the show still felt as intimate as a backyard show.

It was almost as though Pavement was performing just for me, granted I was sitting all the way in the back of a huge amphitheater. At least it did for me and all the other members of the audience who were singing along with the lyrics, cheering, howling, and yes, even dancing with wild abandon, for even the most self-possessed hipsters couldn't help but lose themselves in the energy.

Pavement belted out song after song, and the energy in the audience did not let up even once, for even during the slow songs Pavement kept us mesmerized.

The final statement regarding the show can best be summed up by something my friend, who had never heard Pavement before, said to me in the middle of the set. Turning to me, rather breathless, and with a huge smile on her face, she said "I fucking love this band."

To reach reporter Michelle Khazaryan, click here.
Follow her on Twitter @mkhazaryan.
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