Solo electric is a tough and lonely gig. Despite being the most ubiquitous of instruments in the rock world, it’s rare to see it being used in a solo setting; the intimacy and warmth of the acoustic usually being the default position for solo practitioners. Grungy alt-rockers Overhaul are first up, and their translation to solo isn’t the smoothest. The strummed power chords make a fairly uniform backing sound, and you get the sense that the songs would be better served with a full band.
Bob Mould is a different prospect. He’s been touring in this form for a while now and there’s a snappy sense of punk urgency throughout the performance that does nothing to detract from these fully-formed miniatures. He often introduces and begins a song in the same breath and this immaculate timing is one of the biggest advantages of this form that Mould makes use of (i.e. not having to wait for a band to be ready, being in complete control of the sound). Even newer songs, that tend to be a little gentler on record, pop and fizz when Mould’s able to batter out three or four in rapid-fire succession.
Unsurprisingly, it’s the Hüsker Dü tunes that get the most love; ‘Flip Your Wig’ and ‘I Apologize’ are early highlights, while ‘Something I Learnt Today’ and ‘Makes No Sense At All’ close the set/encore in frenetic style. Mould’s voice still sounds great (possibly even a little more elastic/expressive than in the early days), and his energy on stage never flags for a second (the buckets of sweat dripping off him are testament to that). He’s mostly business, with just the occasional quip ahead of a song, bar a minute or so that he takes to lament the “nonsense” state of American politics.
There are moments when listening to the classic songs when you’re expecting a drum fill or bass line that never arrives. Despite rarely being a problem as Mould has enough skill to carry all the songs off, the effect is a little jarring, like returning to an old photograph to see that half the people have vanished. However, that’s a minor complaint and Mould is polished enough that he can fill any void with furious strumming and make it work.
It’s an early finish (pre-10pm!), but for the middle-aged and older denizens of the Liquid Room that’s not the worst outcome. Mould doesn’t outstay his welcome and allow the format to become stale, instead delivering a loud, lean hour and change that reminds you why Mould has always delivered the goods, regardless of the mode he’s working in.