Minneapolis’
answer to Simon Hall (!) tonight; the legend that is Bob Mould! As punctually
prolific as he is prodigiously talented, Bob has kept up his “even number year”
album output of late by knocking out another blast of sheet metal popcore,
aligned with brain-hugging melody, in 2016’s “Patch The Sky”. Whilst possibly
lacking anything as gloriously immediate as “I Don’t Know You Anymore”, the
standout track from 2014’s “Beauty And Ruin”, it’s still a worthy addition to a
supreme body of work stretching from his formative 80’s Husker Du days, through
the definitive 90’s “power trio” Sugar via the magnificently confessional
“Workbook” (one of my Top Ten albums of All Time. Yup, All Time…!), into late 90’s
and 00’s solo material where guitars ceded to electronica, then to his current
rush of releases harking back to that simple collision of guitar overload and
soaring melody. And, after having the good fortune to meet the Great Man on his
last time out and promising that if he keeps touring, I’ll keep a’coming,
tonight was a must!
On
my own for the journey – an early one, following an announcement that doors
were brought forward to 6.30 – as I drove into a colourful sunset as pink
turned to blue (yes, I know that’s not one of Bob’s, but still…!). Parked up in
Rupert Street NCP and found this new venue easily for just before 8. The
Dreamboys were on in the other room and I was nearly ushered there by a bouncer
(!) but made my way into this large-ish new venue, all chrome and disco
lighting – very shiny! Ran into Devizes gig buddy Alfie and then met up with
my Bristol-domiciled friend Thom, and we chatted down the front before openers Thought Forms, on at 8. I
was expecting a shoegazey lot, given they’d appropriated their name from an
early Lush song, and the shimmering guitar of their opener, leading into a
moody and stompy off kilter drum-propelled Galaxie 500-alike, underlined this.
However they then incorporated elements of early 80’s poppy Goth into their
work, with growling reverb and textural, haunting effects making me reach for
the Ghost Dance and Indians In Moscow comparisons! Ethereal, moody and better
when the female guitarist took lead vocals, they were an interesting opener
with a particularly accomplished sticksman, albeit heavily mood over substance
and tuneage at this point.
A
quick bog trip (funny how gig bogs are run down, even in new venues!) before
taking our places on the barriers at the front for the prompt arrival of Bob
and rhythm section cohorts Jason Narducy (bass) and Jon Wurster (drums).
Ambling nonchalantly on, prompt at 8.30, Bob greeted the enthusiastic crowd
with, “hey hey, what’s going on?” and an uncharacteristic big grin across his
snowy bearded features. This actually set the tone quite appropriately for the
set, as right from the off this was a party, a celebration of the awesome,
all-encompassing power of rock’n’roll. The opening salvo underlined this,
delving into his proto-popcore Husker Du days with “Flip Your Wig”, “Hate Paper
Doll” and a blistering “I Apologise” rampaging by in short order, before
Sugar’s “A Good Idea” and the magnificent “Changes” followed suit. What. A.
START!
Incredibly,
this relentless and rampaging pace was maintained, a sprinkling of more recent
numbers standing up well to the classics, with “I Don’t Know You Anymore” as
thrillingly catchy as anything from Bob’s canon of work, and current CD opener
“Voices In My Head” a more considered strumalong, recalling the stripped-back
confessional of those “Workbook” days. That aside, the pace was remorseless;
raw, ragged and elemental, tonight a growling, prowling Bob and the band delivered
as exciting and gut-wrenchingly thrilling a set as ever, keeping hits raining
down with the merciless and steely-eyed determination of a prize-fighter with
his opponent well and truly on the ropes. “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” was
particularly brilliant, the sheer euphoria of the song’s hook shining through,
and my set highlight amongst many. No wonder, as Bob introduced the band a
couple of numbers later, he remarked, “we’re having fun up here!”
A
rarely played and moody “Come Around” from Sugar’s underrated “Beaster”, and
the lengthy and epic primal howl of set closer “Black Confetti” were other
notables as the set flew by. The 2 encores of the heart-crackingly sombre
“Hardly Getting Over It”, juxtaposed with one final soaring singalong to “Makes
No Sense At All”, then closed out a brilliantly sweaty and extraordinarily loud
1 hour 20 minutes of prime rock, Bob taking centre stage at the climax for a
lengthy ovation. That’s how to do it, sir! We grabbed our breath as a roadie
handed me Bob’s list, recovering from the ringing in our ears before going our
separate ways for an early home time. Early, but amazing as ever from the
enduring, prolific legend that is Bob Mould!
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