Live Review: Dinosaur Jr, Luluc

It’s an interesting choice for both The Croxton Bandroom and a Dinosaur Jr gig, but as soon as the dulcet tones of Luluc kick off, early punters are enthralled. The alt folk duo deserve more attention than they ultimately receive, but their swirling ambience and masterful musicianship fill the room. Vocalist Zoe Randell is demure and serene, and along with multi-instrumentalist Steve Hassett, the pair effortlessly blend the clamorous with the beautiful. Tangled Heart becomes an instant favourite among those listening, but the true brilliance of Luluc comes in their closing cover of David Bowie’s Quicksand.

The Dinosaur Jr MO has largely remained unchanged in their 30+ years of performing. Hit the stage, play the hits, sneak in maybe two or three words in between and then disappear into the darkness. It’s aloof, sure, but they’re just about the only band around who can make it work. It’s a good thing, too, that the crowd love every last minute of it.

As soon as the lights go down, the uproar is almost as deafening as the music itself. The Lung begins from behind drawn curtains, but as the fabric is pulled back, the audience and the band engage in a battle for noisemaker supreme. Not one for vocal clarity on the best of days, J Mascis is almost inaudible beneath the sea of noise around him. Some may think of this as detrimental, but for the band that supposedly inspired the formation of Nirvana, it’s oddly fitting.

Bassist Lou Barlow slams at his instrument as if he is trying to slaughter it, and the mononymous Murph proves unequivocally that nearly four decades in the biz’ hasn’t hampered his drumming one iota. A hefty selection of the 2016 release Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not is welcomed like old favourites, but it’s the true classics that folks are really after. Feel The Pain earns plenty of moshability from the crowd, and Start Choppin even sees a solitary smile from Mascis from under his trademark silvery locks. A loyal following doesn’t begin to describe the audience tonight – these guys are like family.

It’s nought to 100 in an instant for Dinosaur Jr, and even as the boys all tick past their half centuries, they have never slowed down or let their age hinder their energy. The raw power, the liveliness and the all-important noise, this is early ‘90s grunge on the eve of the Trump inauguration; perhaps more relevant now then it ever has been.