Dinosaur Jr take the stage without fanfare and for 100 minutes they deliver ecstatic and ferocious guitar Rock from an endless well of energy. Akin to a spiritual experience, a music of celestial realms but it always remaining grounded.
That means it is familiar and recognisable, as well as being in a state of constant flux.
The endless well could just as well be electricity. Six Marshall speakers behind (Joseph) J Mascis guitar and vocals. Two behind bass guitarist Lou Barlow. In the middle sits (Emmerson Jefferson) Murph (Murphy) the drummer.
Mascis was born in Amherst Massachusetts in 1965. That is why in most bios or interviews he names the Beach Boys and Rolling Stones as inspirations.
A whiny low-key drawl may just a well be his own description of his singing, which he claims come from Mick Jagger and John Fogerty.
He has a deeply ironic sense of humour. In a recent Guardian interview just before this tour, he summarises I still get a kick out of making a racket. I mean, I don’t have many other interests.
That belies a huge work ethic. They are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band this year. There is also Mascis’ solo work, record production and film scores.
Barlow and Murph have been in and out and in again. At times Mascis has played their parts on studio albums. Frustration, creative differences, obsessive natures have all been given expression.
Wonderful to see the power trio go at it from start to finish. There’s a resemblance to Crazy Horse. Ralph Molina, Billy Talbot, and the Young guy. Starts and ends there.
Mascis generally hates being compared to Neil Young, in voice.
He admits to an obsession with Nick Cave when he played in Birthday Party. SST was his dream label following on from the Punk explosion. That brings in Black Flag, Meat Puppets, Husker Du.
That brings us closer to the sound. They would have influenced Grunge. Kurt Cobain asked Mascis to join a pre-fame Nirvana. That’s the legend anyway.
Out There and Start Choppin’ begin the show. Massive wall of sound where the guitar is elemental melodic noise. Let it in and enjoy the trip.
Barlow has his head of long hair down in shoegaze posture all night and can come in and out of the rhythmic assault. When he raises his head occasionally, he has a full beard.
Murph does not. Less hair, and incendiary fire power right on time.
What Else Is New is majestic post-Hendrix guitar which appears to launch into improvisation. Bigger sound than on record, the Where You Been album (1993).
Mascis did join a jazz ensemble at high school, and he was primarily a drummer in his youth.
Not the Same, and Jamie gets a brief mention as he joins to play keyboard. The tempo is slow and melodic with an Eastern drone. Theatrical in spirit and Mascis gets to sing in a near falsetto. On the recorded version he sings like a warbling Neil Young.
Get Me, Goin’ Home and Drawerings have huge slabs of familiar Sixties Rock guitar sounds. Real comfort food.
Everyone was mentioning the volume. From where I was in the circle, to the right of and just in front of the sound desk it was as good as the Great Hall gets.
The drum sound was perfectly framed and balanced. Most important when you hear it. The clarity of the guitar with all its feedback was simply revelatory. A triumph for the engineers.
Many times, you cannot hear the vocals, but it works perfectly in the overall sonic mix.
I hear Rockabilly twang on The Wagon.
Little Fury Things has banshee wails inside the machine.
Forget the Swan becomes an epic. Surf guitar licks get thrown out at velocity, and the engine room do amazing things here.
Office Dog open the evening and they are given 40 minutes to do their best before the formidable headliners.
Kane Strang is the singer and guitarist. This band formed in Dunedin in 2021 and moved to Auckland of late. With him Rassani Tolovaa bass and Mitchell Innes drums.
They play heavy Rock music which taps into the styles of the Beatles inspired (Helter Skelter, I Am the Walrus) types like Black Sabbath.
Doomy and dark with a downbeat leaden atmosphere.
They start with Shade in that fashion and most of the songs have similar ambience.
Big Air and the drummer sets a faster tempo to a monolithic battering of a song. The singer has professed a fond desire for a Laurie Anderson lecture series. He is giving a nod to the Big Science album and From the Air.
A young woman helps on keyboards for one song. Peter on acoustic guitar joins for another.
I quite like their discipline over their 11 songs and will catch them again.
They have a debut album out. Spiel, and the title track sounds like Indie Pop Shoegaze.
Dinosaur Jr have a few which start slowly and Get Me works with electrifying surges and quiet melodic bridges.
Sometime in 2002, Mascis got together with Mike Watt, bass player for the great Minutemen, before the untimely tragic death of D. Boon. He then went on to form fIREHOSE. They are long term friends.
Watt was conscripted to the rejuvenated Stooges, and I saw them play a brilliant set at the Big Day Out. With Iggy and the two Asheton brothers Ron and Scott.
They formed a short-lived project, Asheton, Asheton, Mascis, and Watt. The stuff of legends.
They amble back for encores and take a cover of the Cure’s Just Like Heaven to incredible peaks.
Dinosaur Jr still get a kick out of making a brilliant racket.
Rev. Orange Peel
Photography by Leonie Moreland
Dinosaur Jr.
Office Dog
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