Live Review: Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

First up, the Bad Aches combine two guitars and drum kit in the classic Aussie rock format that is the mainstay of so many pubs. Thick bass underpins the rough and ready approach and red stage lighting is used to good effect, emphasising the loud, raw sounds and strained vocals.

Moon Duo take to the stage, Ripley Johnson with a beard from the '70s and Sanae Yamada with long black hair worthy of your favourite J-horror film. Visually and musically they might seem to be the odd ones out on the night's line-up, however, thematic continuity with the Bad Aches and JSBX is found in the central guitar sounds. The early tracks are evocative of a summer's haze as traffic lights flash by. Matching the blur of the soundscape, the projections across the duo's white T-shirts fold them into the meshes and bridge structures of the video. Wide, muffled beats and soft vocals blend into the transformer buzz Yamada is creating, giving a full sound for just two people. Over the top of this Johnson phase switches on an abstract guitar stream, foregoing obvious verse-chorus compositions for longer flows of alternating vocal and guitar – soooo good. 

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion are greeted by a full house and Spencer – part showman, part preacher – delivers. For those of us who lost track of JSBX during the compilation years, the current tour offers a chance to get re-acquainted, following last year's album Meat & Bone. For the first few songs it's a case of hold the blues, bring the rock, and unleash the explosion, as big guitars dominate. Several tracks in, Spencer channels his inner preacher for one of the most successful audience interaction sessions in some time, and follows with slightly stronger blues inspiration. There is an assured balance between Spencer on guitar and vocals, big drums from Russell Simins and Judah Bauer on guitar. Both Simins and Bauer each take over the vocal duty on a song and Bauer also puts the harmonica to good use on a lone track. The only downside is the vocal mix, meaning that except for spoken introductions, Spencer's words are largely incomprehensible. Despite what the Blues Explosion name and other indie and blues-punk titles may suggest, this is big, bold rock that cuts through generational divides, with a lighter sprinkling of blues to flavour the mix. Blues purists take note and live music fans rejoice.