It’s a fall Friday in San Francisco, and there’s a classic grunge vibe in the air as Dinosaur Jr. rolls into the Regency Ballroom in the central part of town. The power trio that formed in Massachusetts in the mid-’80s actually predates the late ’80s/early ’90s grunge sound popularized by the explosion of alternative rock bands from Seattle, but there are few guitarists in rock history who can match J Mascis for his gloriously grungey guitar tone that sure sounds like part of that sonic wave.
Maybe it’s due to how Dinosaur Jr. was already in position to catch that wave and ride it themselves with 1993’s Where You Been LP that saw the band score a hit MTV video with “Start Choppin” and a tour of similar venues being played by the likes of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and the Smashing Pumpkins (all of whom played San Francisco’s Warfield Theater between 1992 and 1994). Dinosaur Jr. would not grow as commercially successful as those bands, yet here they are more than two decades later as one of the last survivors still standing from that golden musical era.
Smashing Pumpkins weren’t from Seattle either, yet they had a sound that fit right into to the alt-rock explosion too. One could make the case that J Mascis and Billy Corgan have masterfully rich guitar tones and psychedelic stylings that make them sonic gods of grunge regardless of where they hail from, with MyRareGuitars.com even naming Mascis as one of the “Top 10 Great American Guitarists” in a feature story this past Fourth of July. Dinosaur Jr. probably influenced Corgan and most of the Seattle bands as well, making Mascis one of the most underrated figures in rock history from the pop culture perspective.
For those who may not have seen Mascis in action for some time, it doesn’t take long to see why he’s earned such acclaim. His stage setup features an epic trio of Marshall amplifier stacks that would make Scott Pilgrim envious and Mascis quickly shows he still owns one of the greatest tones in rock. “Going Down” is an early highlight as the power trio rocks out on a fresh tune that gets the audience amped up with some high energy rock from the band’s latest album, 2016’s excellent Give a Glimpse of What You’re Not. It’s the band’s fourth release since reuniting the original lineup in 2005 and “Left/Right” is another strong new song that finds Mascis switching over to a Rickenbacker bass, as bassist Lou Barlow fronts the band on guitar and emotive vocals for a cathartic mid-tempo melodic gem.
“Watch the Corners” from 2012’s I Bet on the SkyLP finds the band surging with more edgy melodic riffage that keeps the set building nicely. Barlow plays his bass with a particularly aggressive attack, while drummer Murph rocks with a matching fury. “Out There” finds the band turning the clock back to 1993 for some classic grunge that has heads banging on the hard-hitting yet melodic rocker, with Mascis wailing a solo filled with hot licks and searing melty vibrato. “Feel the Pain” from 1994’s Without a Sound LP finds Mascis knocking out some of his catchiest riffs on one of the band’s most accessible tunes, as they mix strong melodies with heavy rhythms and another smoldering solo from Mascis. “The Wagon” mixes things up with a second guest drummer for a furious polyrhythmic percussion jam that at certain moments sounds like the Grateful Dead circa a psychedelic jam from 1968.
The peak grunge vibe continues soon after when Mascis breaks out his beautiful sparkly purple signature Fender Jazzmaster for “Start Choppin”, taking the audience on another glorious ride through the heights of the grunge era with one of the most infectious tunes in the band’s catalog. The riffs are so good, and the band is so tight, there’s energy in the room now that makes one wonder why more rock ‘n’ roll fans aren’t tuned into this stellar sound. The self-effacing Mascis and the mercurial Billy Corgan may be two very distinct personalities, but they sure play guitar in a similar style. A tour that puts the bands on the same bill for a doubleheader of classic grunge rock power would be a surefire winner.
The encore features a trio of punk covers that trace how Dinosaur Jr.’s roots do indeed predate the grunge era. These raw tunes don’t have the same multi-dimensional sonic power as the band’s own material, although the band’s aggressive attack can give any punk tune a lift. When the show ends, there’s the feeling of having received a soul cleansing of sorts. Dinosaur Jr. is delivering a classic Gen-X sound that resonates through the ages, and there are few other artists in modern music that can rival this kind of alt-rock power.