Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/07/30/watch-husker-du-meet-joan-rive.html
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I like telling the story of when I saw Bob Mould play last year:
I’ve always been a so-so Husker Du fan. There were a couple of songs in their middle-years I absolutely love, but I never got all that into anything before or after that. A few Sugar songs I liked OK, and fewer from Bob’s solo stuff. That was about it. But I’m big on “see them before they die”, so I figured when I got the chance to watch him play, I should.
After a bunch of recent disappointments hearing the blown-out voices of Johnny Rotten, Peter Hook, Tones on Tail, and others, my expectations were low. And got lower when the band walked out: Bob and what looked like a dad-rock, b-list support band. I figured I’d stay for 30 minutes and hope he maybe played 1-2 songs I liked OK.
BOB ABSOLUTELY KILLED IT. The 1st song was my top favorite of all time. The 2nd song was my 2nd favorite of all time. The 3rd song I’d never heard before…and it was phenomenal; it’s now my 3rd favorite of all time. Bob’s voice sounded better than ever, he was all over the stage, and just looked so damn happy to be there playing…the kind of energy that just makes you love everything you hear. I swear, if you closed your eyes and told me everyone in that band was 16, I would’ve told you that they had an amazing 40 year career ahead of them. I went home with a whole new appreciation, and to this day I’m still digging through everything he’s done finding gems I somehow missed over the years.
David: if you happen to see this and talk to Bob, tell him for me that his show was legit the best show I’ve seen in 20 years. Absolutely blew me away.
And anyone else: go see Bob every. chance. you. get.
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Oof, the audio for the Late Show video needs to be low-pass filtered. But it was enjoyable nonetheless!
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Yeah, I saw them in '84 or so.
They were great.
The audience were lukewarm.
I didn’t understand it until my friend told me it was
because they were confused by being better looking that the band.
Looking back I guess she was right.
This sounds a little mean, I didn’t mean it that way.
I see it as damning of the audience.
I’ve seen Bob play with Hüsker Dü, sugar, and solo many times. His upcoming album looks fantastic. The two tracks I’ve heard sound amazing and powerful.
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Grant Hart was the only singing drummer I trusted.
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It’s always interesting watching the Makes No Semse at All live video from 1985 and seeing a few punks dancing at the front but mainly a quiet looking audience.
I’m still guessing that they were blown away by that performance.
Not so at Gorilla Gardens in Seattle on that particular day.
My friends balked at paying three dollars at the gate.
I went in anyway.
I mean, I was blown away, but the scenesters, really, not so much.
I think that all that melody confused them.
If one or two scenesters are too cool, soon enough, all the scenesters
are too cool.
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