The band played four sold out nights to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their fifth studio album, ‘Where You Been’, originally released in 1993. They opened on the tracklist with single ‘Out There’, with a contrast between the abrasive guitar noise and J Mascis’ mellow vocals. They then played the album’s second single ‘Start Choppin’, with its funky hopping guitar chords representing the chopping edit method of the recording process. Continuing with the release, Mascis played the streaming pedal effects of ‘On the Way’ and slow, churn of ‘Not the Same’, with delicate vocals by Mascis and the rocking trance of co-founder and bass player, Lou Barlow.
Guest vocalist Tiffany Anders came on stage to sing some backing vocals for main album single, ‘Get Me’, as she had as a 17-year-old on the album, saying she had been a huge fan of the band. The band’s other genre influences were seen in the soulful ‘Goin’ Home’, with its ‘60s pop vocals.
Following the end of the album tracklist, Dinosaur Jr. then invited special guest singer Andy Blade on stage to perform his song ‘No Brains’ by his punk band Eater, one of Mascis’ favourite influences. Other guests on guitar included Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai) and Bernard Butler (Suede), the latter performing the screeching guitar of ‘The Wagon’ from ‘Green Mind’. My Bloody Valentine’s guitarist Kevin Shield also did three songs with the band, beginning on his own song ‘Thorn’, for which Barlow sang vocals, and then covering The Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’, performed with wah wah and ripping, wheel spinning guitar feedback.
Dinosaur Jr. ended their set on an encore of ‘Feel the Pain’ with its rapid tempo changes, and ‘Freak Scene’, with soaring feedback effects, from the band’s ‘Without a Sound’ and ‘Bug’ studio albums.
15/11/23: Dinosaur Jr. + special guests @ The Garage, London
Photos © E. Gabriel Edvy/Blackswitch Labs.
© Ayisha Khan.