BOB MOULD @ THE GARAGE, LONDON

Former Hüsker Dü guitarist, Bob Mould, returned to the UK on another solo electric tour, performing from his range of solo studio albums. But he first opened on his past band Hüsker Dü’s classic covers with ‘Flip Your Wig’ and ‘I Apologise’, playing his abrasive Stratocaster guitar in between lyrics and running about the stage. He also performed covers from his band, Sugar, such as ‘Hoover Dam’, which illustrated Mould’s contrasting melodious vocals.

After his older material, he moved onto his most recent solo releases in the way of ‘Siberian Butterfly’ from 2020 album ‘Blue Hearts’, played with repetitive riffs, and ‘Forecast of Rain’ from the same release. Mould also performed new unreleased tracks in the set presumably from his forthcoming solo album, including the persistent ‘Hard to Get’ and the melting ‘When Your Heart is Broken’, which Mould said was a more depressing song after playing a cover of Hüsker Dü’s upbeat ‘Celebrated Summer’.

Mould finished his set on ‘See a Little Light’ from his 1989 debut album ‘Workbook’, with its vigorous strumming, and a further selection of Hüsker Dü favourites including ‘Something I Learned Today’ and ‘Makes No Sense At All’, with a Sonny Curtis cover of happy tune ‘Love is All Around’ thrown in for good measure.

24/11/23: Bob Mould @ The Garage, London