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Life & Arts

Dinosaur Jr. makes it worth the wait

by DUSTI RHODES
The Daily Cougar

The reality of being a fan of music is that, for some, their favorite bands called it quits before they were allowed to stay out after dark, let alone go to a rock concert. So when one of these groups decides to reunite for a tour, some fans never think they can get enough.

The thought of seeing Dinosaur Jr. was something my sister and I never thought we would ever experience. So, when the original lineup decided to reunite, but (at first) not stop in Texas, we headed to Atlanta to ensure our opportunity to see one of the greatest rock bands to come out of the 1980's underground scene.

Seeing the band again Friday night at Warehouse Live, 811 St. Emmanuel St., was almost too amazing to be true; but compared to its performance in Atlanta, it wasn't that amazing. It seems as though its time on the road may be wearing down the band.

But despite the lack of energy seen earlier in the tour, Dinosaur Jr. still managed to deliver a show that satisfied Houston fans ? even if it was because they didn't know any better.

The set list was derived mostly from the albums Dinosaur, You're Lying All Over Me and Bug, so fans missed out on the hits from later albums like Where You Been.

However, they didn't seem to mind that much as the barricade in front of the stage was lined with fans singing and banging their heads along with J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph. The crowd was made up of first and second generation Dinosaur Jr. fans with the latest ones up front and the veterans singing along as they chilled in the back, away from moshers and closer to the bar.

Mascis also seems to be turning down his double stack of Marshals; either that or the folks at the Warehouse know how to handle sound control after all. In the '80s and '90s, Mascis was known for his ear-killing volumes, and the band's show in Atlanta lived up to this reputation. However, the Houston show did not pack the decibels of the former, and so fans who forgot ear plugs were saved from two days of deafness.

Despite the low volume and energy, Mascis, Barlow and Murph were still on top of their games instrumentally as each song was delivered flawlessly. Mascis turned out solo after solo with his huge hands that devoured his guitar with every riff.

The guys gave two encore performances coming back first for "Freak Scene" and their Cure cover, "Just Like Heaven," and sent the crowd home with a cover of Last Rites' "Chunks."

Dead Meadow preceded Dinosaur Jr. with its pleasing low-fi psychedelic sound, and Montreal's Priestess started the evening off with one of the best French Canadian drum solos Houston has ever heard. The group had a very 1980s metal/rock feel to it and had the energy to catch the audience's attention, even if it was only because they were wondering if the group was legally obligated to write its lyrics in both English and French.
 

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