The Melvins Shows Why They're Still Going Strong After 30 Years
By Staff in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 24, 2013 9:00PM
You never really know what, exactly, you are in for when dealing with Melvins other than it will be loud, dumb and weird—but that's half the fun. Those guys could decide to knock you around with wicked riffs. They might decide to test your patience with menacing noise and bloated progressions. Monday night's sold-out set at the Double Door was a near-perfect mix.
Melvins are crossing the country to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Buzz Osborne's founding of the band, and celebrate they did. In a matter of about 80 minutes, Melvins managed to blow the roof off the joint with 18 tunes mined from ten Melvins records spanning 1990's Bullhead to 2012's Freak Puke.
Many acts rely on at least one person to command the stage, but Melvins allowed the music to take center stage Monday night as the four men basically dropped anchor, cranked the volume and let big, dumb riffs fly. There was no silly stage banter between tunes as drum cadences filled the gaps. And there were no choreographed dance moves nor a fancy light show.
Not known for a steady lineup, this one featured Osborne and longtime drummer Dale Crover. They were joined by drummer Coady Willis, who has made regular contributions for the past seven years, and Jeff Pinkus of the Butthole Surfers who filled in on bass as Jared Warren—who usually occupies the low end—is on paternity leave.
The show starts with the dual drummers. Everything else completely revolves around Crover and Willis. Just watching these two men pound the daylights out of the skins is fascinating. The visual of Crover, a righty, and Willis, a southpaw, playing together creates a wild mirror image especially when they play the same part. The two are nearly identical in style and technique so they play together in a near seamless fashion as if they can anticipate each other's next move. Coontrast that with a lot of odd timing and tempo changes, and it really is a wonder they can keep it together through an entire set.
It as if you are watching a melding of drumming minds.
You also get double cowbell.
It's totally far out.
And the pair doesn't stop. As one song breaks into the next, they keep playing through the transitions making the task one of endurance and stamina as much as keeping time for the rest of the band. These guys don't just tap their drums and cymbals either. They smash them all night long. It's a wonder those drums, or at least the heads, are able to withstand the punishment delivered upon them on a given night.
Osborne,with a huge head of hair spraining in all different directions, staked out stage right and is an imposing figure himself, even while wearing a moo-moo. Through the years, he has managed to find an signature growl in his voice that fits each Melvins tune so well, and it was on full display Monday night.
His guitar also growled when it needed and rang out when it had to. Osborne has always managed to coax great nice tones through his instrument when he wants to. He also convinces that guitar to make pure guttural and trashy noises when he wants. Usually, it works.
Pinkus was a fine emergency replacement. He seemed quite familiar with the material and played well. The sound rumbling from his corner of the stage was a God-awful, gnarly, bottom-heavy tone full of distortion and muck. It really shouldn't be played at all, but on Melvins tunes it was beautiful.
Melvins delivered Monday night, as they usually do. Without the benefit of radio play or gold records hanging on the wall, they kind of have to deliver live. Otherwise, they would not have made it for 30 years.
Of course, the show ended in pure Melvins style. After closing with a cover of Butthole Surfers' "Graveyard," Osborne and Pinkus walked off the stage leaving their guitars feeding back while Willis and Crover kept playing. The pair slowed down bit by bit and at the end, stood upright with arms in the air as if to deliver one final, devastating blow—and dropped their sticks. A Harry Nilsson song played over the P.A., and the night was over.
By: Casey Moffitt