 
It’s hard to not realize that you are at a Dinosaur Jr. show. Walking in to the Music Hall of Williamsburg, you see old and young alike, some flannel, and long hair. The band has been around since 1984 and their recent reunion has proven to be a great success and not a desperate cash in. Beyond and Farm are two of the best albums the band has produced, proving their is still plenty of juice in J. Mascis’ guitar solos and riffs, Murph’s pounding drums and Lou Barlow’s heavy bass. Oh yeah, there are huge stacks of Marshall amps towering over the stage like a monster wall of sound.
This was night number two and the last night Kurt Vile was set to support, the band chose Vile’s Childish Prodigy as the best album of 2009. There is more to the band than just noise though and they proved that last night. The set was a great mix of new and old leaving fans happy but maybe a little hard of hearing.
Previously reviewing Dinosaur Jr. at Central Park Summerstage and knowing their history, I was pretty prepared for the show. The outdoor setting and equipment tempered some of the sound and at MHOW, the show was flawless. Aside from the stack of amps hovering ominously, the crew turned a couple of house monitors to the crowd. Barlow’s vocals were howling crystal clear into my ears. The setlists were taped down, including Mascis’ green and purple colored setlist and the show was set to begin.
The band graciously strolled on stage a little after 10 and kicked off the night with “Bulbs of Passion” off of their debut record, Dinosaur. The song was like a trip to the past, showcasing the heavy style the band is known for and the sort of relentless sonic assault that is truly cerebral. Hearing Barlow’s emphatic vocal delivery, it felt like the band had everything to prove.
From there, it was a careening path of awesome. Each song was rough, with Mascis cracked and laconic swoons interrupting the waves of guitar drenched in fuzz or the dynamic rhythm section of Barlow and Murph. The 1-2 of “Budge” and “Tarpit” followed up next, from their 1988 classic Bug. This introduction of the band’s older material really set the mood and the band eased into “Imagination Blind” from their latest album Farm.
Read more of the review, including more photos of Dinosaur Jr. and Kurt Vile after the jump.
The band slowed it down a bit, in their own unique way with “Get Me“, from Where You Been. The band turned it on again with “Pieces” and “Plans” from Farm. The songs were a nice stabilizing point for the band. Farm does a great job of blending the studio production of their mid 90′s albums with their noisier tendencies. The result allows each member to shine. Lead single “Over It” was also played.
It took awhile but Beyond received plenty of love later on in the set. The excellent pop inclined “Crumble” with its excellent lead riff, “Back to Your Heart“, and “Been There All the Time” delighted.
Unfortunately, there was going to be no “Just Like Heaven” or “Almost Ready” but the band delivered the goods and closed out solidly. “Freak Scene” still has that same bouncy energy that connects to listeners and the lyrics still apply today. “Gargoyle“, from their debut closed out the set but did not end the night. Thanks to Mascis’ green and purple setlist, there was an encore to be enjoyed and fans were delighted by “The Wagon” from Green Mind and “Sludgefeast” to close the night on a fantastic set. With performances like this, and albums like Farm, Dinosaur Jr. continues to be one of the most exciting bands on the indie rock scene today, nearly 25 years after they debuted.
Dinosaur Jr. Setlist
Bulbs of Passion
Budge
Tarpit
Imagination Blind
Get Me
Pieces
Plans
Crumble
Feel the Pain
Over It
Back to Your Heart
Been There All the Time
Freak Scene
Gargoyle
–Encore–
The Wagon
Sludgefeast
Before all the noise though, Kurt Vile opened and delivered a great set. Childish Prodigy is a great album combining some interesting acoustic elements with plenty of noise and some great lyrics. Compared at times to Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, or lumped into the lo-fi scene, Vile does plenty to differentiate himself from the pack. His low-key demeanor and humble stage presence lets his music speak even louder. There is little performance but plenty of engaging sound. Although not listed as such, but Vile played with his Violators giving the songs an even fuller sound.
Songs like “Freak Train” and “Overnight Religion” were standouts and the set as a whole was engaging, highlighting Vile’s great guitar skills and song writing. The added rhythm section and rhythm guitar gave the noise a bit more energy and the band allowed Vile to let loose. There were only rare glimpses past the hair in front of Vile’s face but there was still plenty of charm. The set played to the band’s strength and was definitely a great introduction to his work and dovetailed nicely into Dinosaur Jr’s headlining set.
Dinosaur Jr.
Kurt Vile
