I saw Shellac play a New Year's morning concert at 10am at the Fireside Bowl in Chicago maybe 10 years ago. The show was right in the middle of my obsessive and endless listens to their full-length debut, At Action Park. Steve Albini gave out Pop Tarts to the crowd that day, and a helluva show, and I was convinced I would love this band forever.

But alas, I fell off the Shellac train shortly thereafter that seminal first album. I tried my best to fall in love with their next one, Terraform, (I even bought my first record player because the vinyl was released several weeks before the CD), but I just wasn't feeling it. There were no songs about baseball players or Canada to be had. By the time 2000's 1000 Hurts came along, I only gave it a passing listen. But I still listen to At Action Park all the time and I still think often about that one amazing show.

Even if you never really got into Shellac at all, you should go see them just to say you were rocked by Steve Albini. And if you are like me and had a brief affair with them, maybe it's worth seeing what they're up to again. I will be there. I may not get Pop Tarts, but I will be more than open to the possibility of having a love once lost found again.

Shellac play Club Europa, on Saturday, September 2nd.