First things first....Dinosaur Jr were really quite dull. Loud, but a bit dull. Even 'Freak Scene' was a bit stilted, and there were only about five kids who responded with a bit of a lame mosh pit when that moment finally arrived.
Dinosaur knew it as well. Upon being forced out for an encore following half-hearted clapping, Lou Barlow turned the clock back about 20 years and baited the crowd for the slightly lame applause. Good old Lou, nice to have you back. Must be hanging around with J Mascis that brings out the vitriol....
Thank heaven then for the preceeding hour of magnificence from Built to Spill. Having loved them since Keep it Like a Secret, I was hoping it would have been worth the 15 year wait...and it just about was. Eschewing any thoughts of promoting newest record There is No Enemy, Doug Martsch and his grizzled vets cranked out a, ahem, greatest hits set heavy on riffing and bluesy soloing. Highlights for me were hearing 'Car', 'Carry the Zero', 'Strange', 'Untrustable' and 'Distopian Dream Girl'. Sadly not enough time for a 20min version of 'Broken Chairs', but always nice to hear these lines:
"My stepfather looks just like David Bowie/ But he hates David Bowie/ I think Bowie's cool/ I think Lodger rules/and my stepdad's a fool."
Brilliant stuff. A band that pays no attention to modern trends but just play like they always have played. Heroes.
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