Photos by Isla Kerr
Alternative rock royalty Dinosaur Jr visited us at Glasgow’s famous Barrowland Ballroom on Tuesday night, with support from the angelic Naima Bock. The evening celebrated 30 years since the release of their hit album Without a Sound, and I had a brilliant time.
English musician Naima Bock began her support set under soft amber lights, reflecting the atmosphere of her delicate tracks. Her opening number incorporated many beautiful choral harmonies assisted by the rest of her band members; it was truly ethereal. Naima Bock blended a lot of different genres in her set, with some songs incorporating a more bluesy edge and others lulling us with soft vocals and an acoustic zen vibe. The band used both electric and acoustic guitars during the set, and I thought that the acoustic guitar helped to enhance their melancholy sound. After what the band described as a “nightmare” of a day filled with Deliveroo mishaps and cable issues galore, I’m positive that playing this set to the enthusiastic crowd of the Barrowland Ballroom perked them up a bit. Her most recent release, Below a Massive Dark Land, is a must-listen for fans of graceful and gentle tracks. It was a very charming performance that I’ll describe as the calm before the storm…
Pictured- Below a Massive Dark Land by Naima Bock
Massachusetts alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr tore into their hit opening track Feel the Pain following a witty “helloo” from frontman J Mascis. The crowd lost their zen from Naima Bock’s set as soon as the first chord was played, and I suddenly found myself in a sea of headbangers. The band drove through many of their classic songs back-to-back for a while, such as Yeah Right, Mind Glow, and On the Brink- all distinctly different but still sharing their signature whimsical charm and heavy drive. The diversity of their discography has always been impressive to me, and they certainly picked out the right setlist to cover all musical bases and show off their talents to the sold-out crowd of the Barrowland Ballroom.
Dinosaur Jr is a collection of extremely talented musicians. Drummer Patrick Murphy, better known by his stage name ‘Murph’, seriously impressed me with his abilities, keeping up with the complex and demanding tracks of Dinosaur Jr is a highly commendable skill. I practically picked my jaw up off the floor after Feel the Pain, as he navigated all the very challenging fills and changes in dynamic flawlessly, not to mention his perfect cymbal precision. Amongst their meaty bass, crashing cymbals and shredding guitar solos, the band remained incredibly tight throughout their entire time on stage, and their punchy, grungy sound was truly enhanced by their raw performance.
A highlight for me was hearing Little Fury Things, the opening track on their 1987 album You’re Living All Over Me, an album that used to accompany me and my 15-year-old teenage angst back in the day, very nostalgic. Seeing this performance really helped reignite my love for Dinosaur Jr, and it makes me happy to know that they are still as passionate about these tracks as they were when they were released. The band rounded off their set with their hit cover of The Cure’s song Just Like Heaven, and the place erupted. Their spin on this track is worth a listen if you haven’t heard it already, switching between whimsical guitar and thrashing heavy rock- a unique take on this classic dreamy tune. Glasgow received this concluding track very well, and the band certainly went out with a bang.
All in all, the night was a brilliant celebration of both past and present- Naima Bock’s serene soundscapes offering a delicate introduction, and Dinosaur Jr’s thunderous set serving as a masterclass in alternative rock. The energy in the Barrowland Ballroom was electric, as the final notes of Just Like Heaven rang out and the crowd roared, it was clear that Dinosaur Jr’s influence remains as powerful as ever.
Ella Jay