Various thoughts about Sunday's show:
- I didn't bring my camera. So, no pictures. However, that's OK because my pictures generally suck and we got seats along the rail in the back and I wouldn't have wanted to lose my seat to go up close and take photos. My back was killing me from spending the day building a playset from hell. So, I was quite happy to have a seat.
- As the opening act, Lou Barlow did an acoustic set. Very cool set list. He did both "Skull" and "Magnet Coil" from Bakesale. Plus, I called out for him to do his cover of Ratt’s “Round and Round” and he obliged. He was few interactive with the fans. Then he finished with "Home" from his new album which I also like. So, I enjoyed the set despite the growing dim of back-of-the-room-talkers as the set went along and the non-fans arrived.
- Higher Ground had a sign posted on the front door saying "Tonight's show will be very loud. Ear plugs are available at the box office for $1." That was a dollar well spent. At the end of his opening set, Barlow introduced his last song by saying "I have one more song and then I'll come back with the other guys and all hell is going to break lose." He was right. Despite being all the way in the back, it was ridiculously loud. J Mascis had himself surrounded with Marshall stacks and even blew one of his amplifiers during the show. However, despite the massive volume, the mix wasn't bad.
- Overall, I enjoyed Dino Jr's set. I’m not a huge Dino fan but more of just a fan Green Mind and Without a Sound. So, I was pleased that they played some stuff from those albums ("Wagon" & "Feel the Pain"). However, I also enjoyed the other stuff as well. Besides Mascis’ occasional extended unnecessary guitar wankery, they keep it pretty melodic so it’s fairly poppy within a rockin’ context.
- Watching Barlow play bass during the Dino set was kind of weird. He has this odd arm motion with his right arm. He doesn’t just move his arm at the elbow but he swings his arm at the shoulder also. Therefore, he winds up strumming his bass at a 45 degree angle. I don’t remember him playing like that at the Sebadoh shows but that was a long time ago. Regardless, it was something to watch.
- I'm looking forward to jds' review of the Jackson Browne show the same night. As I was sitting at the show, the similarities between the two shows struck me. Both local shows on the same night were featuring artists past their prime playing to fans enjoying the music of their youth. The difference was that one was acoustic and the other one would have made a dead man's ears bleed.
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