Dinosaurs are still, still alive!

August 21, 2016 6:11 PM

Through an online contest, six fans are selected to film Dinosaur Jr. performing Bug in its entirety at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC, June 2011. Experience the fans' joy as they witness a classic performance and meet their heroes face to face in an exclusive interview with the band. Under the direction of Dave Markey (The Year Punk Broke), In the Hands of the Fans brings the fans closer to the band and the music closer to you. Includes bonus footage of Henry Rollins speaking candidly to Markey about the the band, and interviewing them on stage before the show. Single link Youstoobe so well recorded.
posted by vrakatar (12 comments total)

Huh! I just listened to Bug a few days ago - for the first time in what must have been 20 years. And it stood up. Never saw them live back in the day, so this was really neat to watch - thanks for the "post" (snicker snicker)
posted by Golem XIV at 8:15 PM on August 21, 2016

Aside:. I don't know what DC did to deserve the 9:30 club, but I'm grateful for it.

Also, as a begrudgingly-welcome sign of creeping gentrification, the bathrooms are actually CLEAN these days. Among the many other things that the 9:30 club deserves credit for, they recently realized that they could provide competent janitorial services without sacrificing musical credibility. Other successful dives could learn a thing or two.
posted by schmod at 8:16 PM on August 21, 2016 [2 favorites]

I love how Dinosaur Jr. released a compilation of every guitar solo from the new album as a single the month before it was released. I would say flippantly that the solo compilation makes the act of actually listening to Give a Glimpse of What Yet Not superfluous, but that wouldn't be true, because the album as a whole is pretty good.
posted by Sonny Jim at 12:51 AM on August 22, 2016 [2 favorites]

I still don't quite understand how J Mascis could have such a distinctive sound. I swear on at least five different occasions I've heard some band and thought "wow, they really have a Dinosaur Jr. sound going" only to find out that J featured on that particular song. Why can't/don't more bands just rip off his tone?
posted by crashlanding at 12:54 AM on August 22, 2016

In the general thread of feeling old through my pop culture ignorance, I'll just admit that every time someone mentioned "Dinosaur Jr." I assumed they were talking about that Was (not Was) song "Walk the Dinosaur".
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:40 AM on August 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

Worked a J Mascus solo show in the late 90s. I was a little worried when he came in. We sound checked quickly as it was only him and his acoustic. There was no opener. He didn't really talk and he seemed down. He wanted a stool which seemed like a bad sign. I remember being worried about him. He didn't look good. Once the show started I was amazed at how well he played guitar, sang and played his songs with presence. He did his songs just sitting there with his guitar. It wasn't loud and feedbacky. To hear his songs and him play without all the other parts was educational. They were coherent wholes as much as the album tracks. He's up there all by himself and the guitar has dropped out and he's half singing half talking into the mic that's burred in his long hair "just don't let me fuck up will you..." It was haunting. I'll admit it, I cried at a J Mascus solo show.
posted by bdc34 at 7:48 AM on August 22, 2016 [3 favorites]

Mascis' effortless flood of ideas at this show is killer. I saw him live in the 90s and he didn't have as hot a flow as he does here.
posted by lucasgonze at 4:14 PM on August 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

Humblebrag: I saw them on a cruise ship. Between Dino and Sebadoh and J Mascis solo, they played like six shows. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. (I stood in buffet line with Lou Barlow, so bucket list pretty much fulfilled)

(And I'm really digging the video having fond memories of the downstairs 9:30 bar)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:02 PM on August 22, 2016 [1 favorite]

And I think I see Ian Mackaye? FFS why didn't you guys tell me about this
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:05 PM on August 22, 2016

Freakin' "The Post" at 33:30! (covered by Cowboy Junkes, too)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:35 PM on August 22, 2016

"Sludge" at ~51:00 gosh almighty
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:50 PM on August 22, 2016

FYI at 58:04 (Raisins) and DJT has yet said nothing
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:56 PM on August 22, 2016