Melvins make a rare outing to Dublin with a sold out gig at Vicar Street. Support is from California’s Redd Kross, around since 1978 but only now popping their Irish cherry. They play a very lively, energetic set, a bit like The Monkeys sounding like the Beatles playing punk rock in a less druggy Johnny Thunders stylee. They share Shane McDonald (bass) with, and borrow Dale Crover (drums) from, Melvins, and play to a relatively full house—unusualy rewarding for a support band. They could be dressed for the The Ed Sullivan Show. They’re very well received.
Then the demolition crew arrives, played in with their version of Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner. Buzz Osborne mimes along in the wing before the band takes to the stage. Vicar Street is packed solid and feels like a sauna. Melvins deliver a solid slab of noise, and following in the tradition of other great bands like The Glitter Band, The Fall and Adam And The Ants, they have two drummers (second drummer being Coady Willis) who try very hard to beat their kits to pieces during the course of the set. Buzz looks like a deranged Miriam Margolyes in his eyes-embroidered muumuu, white hair with a life of its own, hunching violently over his guitar in between shuttling around the stage or screaming into his mic. Their slow hardcore metal sludge is immense and all-consuming. Lots of feedback. They jackhammer through their set, small pockets of the crowd moving around like blenders, before wrapping it all up with a monstrous version of Night Goat, dual drums pounding it into submission, slower and slower like it just doesn’t want to end. It’s exhausting just watching them.
Ashamed to say this is my first Melvins gig. It won’t be my last. They promise they’ll be back sooner than later.
Redd Kross photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Huge Wonder
Stay Away From Downtown
Stunt Queen
What’s in It for You?
Uglier
Lady in the Front Row
Candy Coloured Catastrophe
I’ll Take Your Word for It
Annie’s Gone
Emanuelle Insane
It Won’t Be Long (The Beatles cover)
Switchblade Sister
Jimmy’s Fantasy
Linda Blair
Melvins photos & set-list:
Set-list:
The Star-Spangled Banner (Tapped intro Jimi Hendrix version)
Working the Ditch
The Bloated Pope
Never Say You’re Sorry
Evil New War God
It’s Shoved
Billy Fish
A History of Bad Men
Blood Witch
Hag Me
Hog Leg
Honey Bucket
Revolve
Your Blessened
Night Goat
Photos & words Cormac Figgis @themasterswitch