A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHICH END OF THE DOG SHE IS FACING: Regular commenter Bill just saw Bob Mould on tour, and since I'm a big fan of the former-Husker, former-WCW-scriptwriter who recently visited the Sound Opinions show, he files this report:

Bob Mould Band
March 18, 2008
Variety Playhouse, Atlanta

The third of four shows I'm seeing this month at the Variety Playhouse. Previously, there's been Har Mar Superstar/Sia (average demographics being under 25 and female) and They Might Be Giants family show (subtract the parents and the average age was eight). Bob Mould brought in a male audience approaching 40; though I'm not sure how the preschooler wearing noise-canceling headphones skews the demographics (seriously, no joke). Halou opened and they put on a good show.

Isn't Bob Mould beginning to look like a beefier Pete Townshend? And would it be fair to compare them, musically?

I'm a fan of the solo Bob Mould and of Sugar, but wasn't sure what to expect for this show. I'd heard he'd gone completely into electronica, but what the hell, he's a legend. I'll go and see what happens. Loud, fast, unapologetically entertaining, Bob wasted no time with crowd interaction or announcing songs. Did I mention loud? He hardly paused to bask in the applause, instead focusing on careening from one song to the next. Bob plays with such force I kept expecting the guitar to explode in his hands. Unable to contain himself during solos, he bounded about the stage like a balloon flying across the room. There were a few bits of electronica thrown in, though these just added layers to the sonic assault and assured no molecules were left unscathed.

He played a few tracks from his new District Line CD -- excellent by the way and only $10 at the show -- and old Bob Mould is generously represented. He even dipped back into the Husker Du catalog. At the time, I was never into Husker Du. Believe me, I had more than ample exposure. Working at a pizza kitchen in South Minneapolis in the mid 80s, the manager would run through their entire collection during Saturday dinner rushes (he was also an excellent drag queen, though even for me this seems like a pointless digression). After Tuesday, I feel the need to reevaluate my position and will be acquiring a few Husker Du CDs.

I should also mention the bassist Jason Narducy who comfortably shared the stage with Mould. One of the best concerts I've seen and other than this short review, one I've been incapable of describing without using expletives. Bob Mould rules the stage, rules the guitar, and owns all the sound. Your speakers go to eleven? Don't bring that weak ass Playskool shit up in here.

Filmmaker Ben Byer has a lovely story about Jason Narducy that also includes some new Bob Mould Band concert footage.

I've seen Mould twice -- on the Black Sheets of Rain tour in 90/91 in a small venue in Northampton, MA, and with Sugar at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago in 94/95, one or two shows before the live concert captured on Besides. I've never attended louder shows, and my goodness that man can rawk.