Dredg: Live at the Fillmore

As far as live albums go, it’s fairly rare for a release to reach the status of a How the West Was Won or a Made in Japan — Dredg’s own Live compilation is, frankly, unlikely to reach those heights. However, they are a brave band for having a go: and luckily they’re blessed with well-behaved fans who shut up and lets them plough through a staggering 75-minute set of hits (19, all up) and an impeccable live sound. The acoustics of the venue it’s recorded at gives each song a shimmering, ethereal quality; on the shrill, stop-start paranoia of “Ode to the Sun”, for example, it’s actually possible to hear the riff bouncing off the walls. Singer Gavin Hayes is in excellent shape, delivering selections from each of their three albums — it’s anyone’s guess how he manages to float above the key. “Not That Simple” is treated with a mellower rendition, and greeted with accompanying claps from the crowd, “Catch Without Arms’” lilting ska-pop and superb harmonies echo throughout the hall, and on “90 Hour Sleep”, the audience finally get a chance to let loose with loud cheers. Live at the Fillmore sees Dredg successfully recreating all the magic of their studio releases, and then some.