At 49, Bob Mould has a lot to look back on.
2009 marks the shifty rock vet’s 30 year anniversary, beginning with his seminal work fronting alt-punk legends Husker Du and onward to commercial success with Sugar and a solid solo resume. So when he embarked on his current three week jaunt through the states earlier this fall, maybe the hardest thing for Mould in prepping for the tour was figuring out where to start.
The catalogue runs deep, but the newly assembled Bob Mould Band hit a near pitch perfect balance Wednesday night at the Paradise, weaving in and out of songs new and old and leaving no stretch of Mould’s stellar career untouched.
A power trio rounded out nicely by bassist Jason Narducy and Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster, the band blasted through a good 20 songs over the course of its 90-plus minute set, with Mould barely coming up for air save for the occassional nod and “Thanks.” He may be one of modern rock’s most prized elder statesmen, but Mould’s still not keen on resting on his cred, as he slashed and lumbered his way about the stage with vitriolic gusto. The man’s still got it, and a lot of it.
Things kicked off with the early Husker favorite “Something I Learned Today,” providing fans with the first of what would be many Husker bones Mould would throw the crowd. A few Sugar tunes followed, which segued into solo cuts from “Workbook” and his most recent effort “Life and Times,” the title track of which proved that the singer’s angsty alt-pop leanings haven’t staled at all over time.
But the detours toward new material were few and brief, as the band opted instead to dip into the vaults for the crowd favorites. The Huskers were well represented through a slew of cuts off of “New Day Rising” (“Celebrated Summer,” “I Apologize,” “Folklore”), Sugar’s “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” and “A Good Idea” made appearances and Mould’s early solo material was well represented thanks to “See a Little Light.” But maybe the most poignant moment came when the band put out the fire long enough to play some acoustic songs, as “Hardly Getting Over It” may well have been the night’s finest moment.
Balder and greyer he may be, but Wednesday’s show proved that Bob’s still Bob, and for fans young and old that proved easy enough to take.
1 comment:
Agreed, this was a great show. I was a little surprized and disappointed though at the size and age range of the crwod. The Paradise only looked to be about 2/3 full and I don't think I saw anyone younger than 35. In fact, most people appeared to be in their 40's (like me). Makes me wonder if the young indie rockers of Boston have no idea and/or no appreciation for one of the founding fathers of indie/punk rock.
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