AT THE DRIVE-IN Live In Tokyo, Japan (2006 US limited edition vinyl LP released by Lost Horse Records and featuring 8 tracks captured live on the 18th January 2001, presented in a unique sealed picture sleeve).

AT THE DRIVE-IN LIVE IN TOKYO, JAPAN (2006 US limited edition vinyl LP released by Lost Horse Records and featuring 8 tracks captured live on the 18th January 2001, presented in a unique sealed picture sleeve).

I must confess something. While I am not usually into idol worship or fanaticism, listening to At The Drive-In (ATDI) makes me giddy like a high school kid getting felt up in a movie theater again.

When I was 19, I played guitar (not nearly as sexy as Omar Rodriguez-Lopez mind you) for an ATDI cover band—and got chills every time I played the intro to Napoleon Solo. Later at university, I took a music rhetoric writing course and wrote eight pages about The Mars Volta’s epic debut album “De-Loused in the Comatorium,” only to “happen” across lead singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala casually hanging outside the tour bus parked on 6th street in downtown Austin outside Emo’s where the band was set to play in a few hours. I “happened” to have a copy of my 8-page report and handed it to Cedric, wide-eyed, blushing and bowing like a Japanese schoolgirl. We exchanged a very few words, something about eating vegetarians.

Needless to say, after 11 years on hiatus (hardly so– as Mars Volta, Sparta and a smattering of other super side projects with fries have deliciously transpired), At The Drive-In broke their silence with a simple Tweet (January 9th, 2012) and a minimalist homepage update declaring, in a semblance of lyrics from their hit track “One-Armed Scissor” that, “This Station Is…Now…Operational;” cue crushing guitar distortion!

Touring the world constantly, recording 6 full-length Mars Volta albums, constantly redefining musical genres and pushing the audible envelope with abstract expressionist painting techniques on stage and in the studio, there is no doubt that the ATDI crew is well-primed for massive festival audiences this summer.

Already the band played a huge spot at Coachella this April, second only to the Sunday night headliners Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Though fittingly, their first show after rekindling the old flame was slotted for their native Texas (ATDI hails from El Paso) at a smallish venue in Austin called Red 7 (capacity 500).  I would have given my right arm to be there.

In a 2011 interview for MTV Australia, Cedric lays out his top three country/crowds to play for: #1) Mexico, #2) Italy and #3) drum roll please… Australia! Hmm, well, let’s assume Japan is #4. Regardless, I’m confident that ATDI energy will feed the crowd and vice versa much like it did here at Summer Sonic in 2000, just with the refinement that comes with age, experience, sobriety and putting on a little weight.

As Mars Volta, the guys were here last year for Summer Sonic again, parlayed with the Chili Peppers (a beasty combo), and have an itinerary now as ATDI preceding Fuji Rock this summer with festivals in Spain and Australia.

That said, you can still never expect their show to be like a track off the CD or anything seen previous as the group consciously crafts tailor-made experiences for every show, ripe for improvisation and bursting with energy, ebbing and exploding at will.

Anyway, ATDI this year at Fuji Rock, come hell or high water (likely, what with all the rain) I’ll be camped out in the front row for their show if you want to come say “Hi” and get felt up (metaphorically speaking– by the music!)

Now let me take you back to high school one more time. Here is ATDI playing hardcore “Alpha Centauri” for a handful of fans back in 1998, in a BOWLING ALLEY. YES.

Encore. This is forever.