As a top professional you need a clear head, both before and aft, to report from the blistering coal face of culture. Or at least some sentience. The white heat of the cutting edge requires accurate reportage and despite the absurdity of scribbling in a notebook in the dark whilst balancing lager beers under your arm and trying not to land in a heap it’s usually possible to pull orf. What you don’t do is toss Monday evening etiquette out the window and exit a perfectly lovely gig to immediately go on a gin bender. There’s copy to be delivered, sonny-Jim. No after hours Negroni, no London Dry of dubious though seductive countenance will persuade the presses to hold fire.
Luckily, for once, the hieroglyphic scrawls come to the rescue. (Almost) a first. Mind, even without having these to fall back on, I could have told you it was great. Blank faced fellow, Mr Mascis, but he chucks out some musical marvels, no doubt about that.
Before we get to our esteemed guest we do have to negotiate support, Luluc. Not exactly a laugh riot and feyness turned up to eleven, unfortunately. Some joy to be had from watching the occasionally shape-throwing guitarist seemingly playing in a different band, but the rescued scraps of paper suggest the duo make Joni Mitchell sound like Slayer. They do not lie.
Quick fag brake during which I get to observe a tripartite conversation outside come to a grinding halt when one of the protagonists reveals his band specialised in party-metal. Instant dropped faces from the other two. I don’t think they do party-metal in the Vic Bar. Unless it’s ironic I guess, in which case they deserve the very worst.
Back up to the big room we hear the squeals and hollers as ex of Dinosaur Jr launches himself onstage. By launch I mean, amble on, tune up and start playing. Definitely not one for histrionics or indeed any audience interaction at all. Head down, get the job done, off.
It’s an intense atmosphere. A focused, capacity crowd – the male contingent mostly being Badly Drawn Boy and his hundred identical mates for some reason – is rapt in appreciation.
And there’s bucketloads to appreciate. He may have the stage presence of a lump of moss, but when you’ve this much talent you can leave the dancing girls at home. Prodigious guitar work and voice of an angel. For a sturdy lad he can rattle out the high notes.
It’s Americana of the highest order. But it’s West Coast, hood-down based. Even the slower numbers don’t recall Deep South blues. Surf’s up in Garnethill, that’s fo’ sure.
Lest we get too comfortable with the melodious twanging, strumming and quite miraculous variety and volume of notes coming from one bloke, without a warning the feedback roars in, pins the ears back and makes us stand to attention. You at the back – stop swaying dreamily.
The switch is so jolting the Blonde initially wonders if he’s stepped on the wrong plug or perhaps one of the young enthusiasts manning the mixing desk has passed out at his station. Come soaring, roaring noise part four, order and sanity is restored however. He’s got a fuzzbox and he’s gonna use it.
It’s a polite but entirely delightful and powerful romp. True to his art and his fans want it no other way. Hard to say any way one man, a guitar and fistful of pedals can sound much better to be honest. Its committed, it’s uncompromising and it’s all rather wonderful.
Your reviewer’s assistant redeems herself by correctly identifying the all too brief encore as a delightful yet rather incongruous Cure cover (‘Just Like Heaven’). Heh, how the hell am I supposed to know this stuff? She earns her spurs.
Mascis in current solo incarnation has the air of a late Saturday afternoon, perennial Glasto institution, in the manner of Seasick Steve. Starting out as a slightly recherché artiste with a small but utterly devoted gathering of the loyal but ending up unmissable. Because he is tonight. Really at the top of his craft, but above all else an electrifying pleasure. In 2013 with D-Jr he was apparently on glorious form at Glasto and from start to finish here we’re treated to simply unimprovable examples of his genre. If you like that genre, you’ll love it. If you’re a fence-sitter then he probably doesn’t care about winning you over. He has the air of someone who knows deeply how good he is.
Sure, it’s a stripped down, implacable, basic evening but if you can do it, why not?
And with that we’re off. To slide [literally – I’d avoid that children’s play park for a while, to be honest] into unfortunate degradation. In no way whatsoever do I pay for it the next morning. And afternoon. And the rest…
- J Mascis - 24 January 2015
- Capone and the Bullets - 13 January 2015
- Mondkopf - 12 January 2015
@isthismusic good to read your thoughts/scraps on the gig. agree @jmascis was immense. Loved the jarring switches with his fuzz pedal. Ace!
@isthismusic enjoyed the set by @luluc. thought having the guitarist throwing shapes was cool/individual. Their last album is a mellow treat