Dinosaur Jr

flasher0030

They are playing here in November. I knew nothing about them until they released Beyond. And even then, it was years later that I began to appreciate it. Never gave it a chance. Started to love it. Read a bit about the band, and realised that they had a kind of "before" and "reunited" period. I started to buy some of the newer albums and got into them, including the recent “Give a glimpse_ _ _ _”. My overall thoughts are that the albums are not masterpieces, but there is enough good work on each album to deem it very good.
I was going back over my CD collection a few years ago, and saw that I had bought "Living _ _ _ " about 15 years ago, but never listened to it. So gave that a few (hundred) spins and love it.

Anyway, I was really looking forward to the gig in November - and I was thinking of all of the quality songs that I haven't even got to listen to yet by the band (Bug album, Green Mind etc.).
But I kinda cheated , and looked up the setlist of what they are playing, so that I can at least become very familiar with the majority of the songs that they play live. I created a little playlist of these songs on my iphone, and started to randomly listen to the (approx) 18 songs. My impression after a few listens is very underwhelming. Most of the songs that are on their regular setlist sound very low-key. Or maybe it’s just that it takes a long time to appreciate them. Songs like Gargoyle, Start Choppin, Bulbs of Passion, Goin down (on the new album). There is a song on Beyond - Pick me up, what I think is a classic tune. But instead they play a very "safe" tune like Goin Down.

I have never seen them live. Any good?

Wheeker

flasher0030 wrote: »

I have never seen them live. Any good?

Hell yeah!

Ok so I am somewhat biased as I'm a huge fan & have seen them live many times, but live they are an incredibly powerful 3-piece ROCK band. J is regularly touted as one of the greatest guitarists (a guitarist's guitarist?) & his solos rarely dissapoint. Lou has a really unique bass style (chord strum) that really fills out the sound massively, Murph is totally solid as a rock. If you can get over J's (lack of) singing style you will massively enjoy them live.

Since they reformed they mostly stick to the songs that Lou played on originally with a couple of exceptions (The Wagon, Start Choppin etc). The 1st album is way under-produced, so Bulbs of Passion sounds totally different live. YLOM is their classic album. Bug is right up there also. Their 4 albums since reforming have been surprisingly good & have definitively proved that Dino Jr are the exception to the rule (that reformed bands never produce material as good as their earlier work).

The new album (Give a glimpse of What Yer Not) has really grown on me, I'm lovin it. Really looking forward to Vicar St gig

Albert_Camus

Yeah I'm really looking forward to it. Have seen them before.

Absolutely love the new album. Think the setlist looks good.. But I like all their stuff.

In short, can't wait!

flasher0030

Ya, new album is really good. Love I Walk For Miles. That should be a cracker live. Stomping tune.
No songs from Beyond played live, which is a bit disappointing for me anyway. I’ve read that they are generally quite loud live. Looking forward to the gig. And love vicar St as a venue.

Albert_Camus

flasher0030 wrote: »

Ya, new album is really good. Love I Walk For Miles. That should be a cracker live. Stomping tune.
No songs from Beyond played live, which is a bit disappointing for me anyway. I’ve read that they are generally quite loud live. Looking forward to the gig. And love vicar St as a venue.

Yeah vicar St is perfect. It's gonna be great. That guitar sound and voice, you can't go wrong

seachto7

Check out their live sets on youtube. Pretty good. There's a dvd too, live in the middle east, or something like that, which is good and loud.

bodhrandude

Did he ever play Electric Picnic?

Edit: Just checked there he did play the Picnic in 2009, was announced on July 1st.

Birneybau

bodhrandude wrote: »

Did he ever play Electric Picnic?

Edit: Just checked there he did play the Picnic in 2009, was announced on July 1st.

He?

bodhrandude

Birneybau wrote: »

He?

OK THEY! I initially did say they but then I thought it was mainly the one guy or original member of the group, but I didn't do my research, so there ya go.

MetalDog

Got my ticket looking forward to it, will be my first time seeing them live.

New album is a cracker too!

Xenji

Any word on the support for the night, last time I saw them they had Built To Spill, was a great night

Wheeker

Xenji wrote: »

Any word on the support for the night, last time I saw them they had Built To Spill, was a great night

The website http://www.dinosaurjr.com/ says: The Creators and Wild Style Lion

Never heard of either of them TBH.....

Rothko

Wheeker wrote: »

The website http://www.dinosaurjr.com/ says: The Creators and Wild Style Lion

Never heard of either of them TBH.....

Two support acts? That's kinda unusual for a gig like this.

Xenji

Wheeker wrote: »

The website http://www.dinosaurjr.com/ says: The Creators and Wild Style Lion

Never heard of either of them TBH.....

The Creators are a random Irish band and Wild Style Lion is J's brother in laws band.

machiavellianme

What time will dinosaur likely hit the stage? Working till 8 but don't want to miss a second.
Still hoping to hear "Where'd you go" live but I know it won't happen. One of the few bands that I love every single song they've ever committed to tape.

RayCon

Wheeker wrote: »

Wild Style Lion

...

I read that as Wyld Stallyns ...

seachto7

machiavellianme wrote: »

What time will dinosaur likely hit the stage? Working till 8 but don't want to miss a second.
Still hoping to hear "Where'd you go" live but I know it won't happen. One of the few bands that I love every single song they've ever committed to tape.

I'm going to guess around 8:45 / 9 ish?

Conor Bourke

Had intended to go to this but forgot I'd booked a trip to visit friends in UK. Hope it's a great one for anyone going

Wheeker

seachto7 wrote: »

I'm going to guess around 8:45 / 9 ish?

I've been looking around on Twitter but no mention of stage times yet. But the doors are 8pm & there's 2 support acts(?!), so I would have thought more like 9:30pm? Does Vicar St have an 11pm curfew?

Wheeker

Wheeker wrote: »

I've been looking around on Twitter but no mention of stage times yet. But the doors are 8pm & there's 2 support acts(?!), so I would have thought more like 9:30pm? Does Vicar St have an 11pm curfew?

Ok- found this:

7:30pm Wild Style Lion
8:15pm The Creators
9:15pm Dinosaur Jr.

Xenji

Their sets have been a bit erratic, say they will only do around 75 minutes or less.

flasher0030

I saw in some live review it said hour and a half. But if they do maximum of 17 songs at an average of 4 minutes each and as there is very little crowd banter from the band, I can't see it going over 75/80 minutes. Anyway, can't wait. Never seen them live. I know they are famed for their loud volume - do ya reckon that will have to be tamed down a bit due to Irish restrictions - which in the main are more tedious than other countries e.g. proximity to other buildings.

Surprised it hasn't sold out Vicar St.

Interrobang

flasher0030 wrote: »

I know they are famed for their loud volume - do ya reckon that will have to be tamed down a bit due to Irish restrictions - which in the main are more tedious than other countries e.g. proximity to other buildings

Hope not. The first time I saw them was in McGonagles in 1991, and my ears were ringing for about a week afterwards! :-D They've never disappointed since - they're brilliant live. Really looking forward to tonight.

Birneybau

flasher0030 wrote: »

I saw in some live review it said hour and a half. But if they do maximum of 17 songs at an average of 4 minutes each and as there is very little crowd banter from the band, I can't see it going over 75/80 minutes. Anyway, can't wait. Never seen them live. I know they are famed for their loud volume - do ya reckon that will have to be tamed down a bit due to Irish restrictions - which in the main are more tedious than other countries e.g. proximity to other buildings.

Surprised it hasn't sold out Vicar St.

Doubt it. I saw Mogwai (loudest gig I had ever heard) in the Olympia and then Swans in the Button Factory, overtook Mogwai!

machiavellianme

Birneybau wrote: »

Doubt it. I saw Mogwai (loudest gig I had ever heard) in the Olympia and then Swans in the Button Factory, overtook Mogwai!

That Sir is a lie*
Nothing plays louder than Mogwai. To do so would defy the laws of physics.






*May or may not be true.

Lotus Flower

machiavellianme wrote: »

That Sir is a lie*
Nothing plays louder than Mogwai. To do so would defy the laws of physics.






*May or may not be true.

Swans are far louder than Mogwai!

machiavellianme

I must check out these Swans so. I always thought it was dinosaur jr, then mbv, then Mogwai then sweet blissful deafness?

Albert_Camus

machiavellianme wrote: »

I must check out these Swans so. I always thought it was dinosaur jr, then mbv, then Mogwai then sweet blissful deafness?

Khanate for me, so far.

Interrobang

Earplugs on sale at the merchandise table - volume should be business as usual!

Xenji

Great show tonight, was in front of J at the barrier for the whole thing, my ears will once again pay for that, he was his usual shy self and that will not change and he was also as good as note perfect for the whole show, honestly he is one of the most underrated guitarists on the go, everything looked so simple to him.

The crowd though for the most part seemed dead and bored anytime I looked behind me, not everyone but well over half, not sure if they were expecting something different or only knew the reunion albums , but it was the same top notch show I have seen 4 times now.

It was a great set, except for the lack of any songs off of Farm, which for me is probably my second favorite album, got Lou to play Out There at the end as he asked what we wanted to hear and kept shouting it out and also got J's pick which is one from the Farm tour, so overall a very entertaining night.

machiavellianme

Phenomenal (but not as loud as I remember - maybe my ears are recovering?)
Would've loved more from farm too

Wheeker

Absolutely fantastic gig! Thought the sound was really great, couldn't hear the vocals but then they're not a vocal band really. Happy enough with the set-list, had a good range of their catalogue. Agreed that the crowd were strangely subdued to begin with, though they did liven up towards the end.

seachto7

Not sure what to make of the gig. I kind of knew what to expect, but for a neutral, it could have come across as unprofessional but that's what you're getting with Dinosaur Jr I suppose.

Some really good moments, but some boring moments too. I wouldn't put it down as a gig to remember. It was good though. Lou was really into it. Can't fault the playing, but would have liked to have been able to hear the vocals, especially on Lou's tracks

Wheeker

seachto7 wrote: »

but for a neutral, it could have come across as unprofessional but that's what you're getting with Dinosaur Jr I suppose

I know what you mean- they have always faffed around between songs tuning & half-jamming, with no audience interaction. If anything I thought there was a lot less of this last night than usual. I did wonder what is the point of J having a Guitar Tech if he still has to re-tune his guitar However they are very tight & "professional" once they get going, that's for sure.

What I LOVE about seeing them live is that you can REALLY hear Lou's bass. On album he is way back in the mix, but there's no holding him back live!:D

MetalDog

Sound issues on vocals aside I enjoyed this immensely. Even managed to meet J before the gig (he's full of chat I swear!)

Good setlist, would have liked to heard Pick me Up though, but I'd go again if they come back.

Gotta love Lou's almost Lemmy-esque bass stylings as well.