Going down to London twice in one week always seemed to be a bit of an optimistic scenario, even under the best of circumstances. Having had one low-cost solo trip commandeered and transformed into a £2,000+ four-night family event geared towards everybody except me having a good time, I was damn well determined to have my share for once.
And so, on discovering that the Melvins were doing a two-night residency in Brixton, it was decided that making the journey South twice in one week was justifiable in light of such a special occasion.
However, this was all decided long before current circumstances made the prospect of going away at all seem increasingly unlikely, and prone to cancellation at any moment. Fortunately, events ultimately arrived at a point where I could make the journey without too much impact on my conscience, so off I went...
Sunday 19 May
And it was good to be back, especially as I knew I was to be back soon and in the rather thankless roles of tour organiser and financier.
Electric Brixton is a rather pleasing small venue, being basically a nightclub but with a decently sized stage. (And as a London nightclub, it has a level of firm but polite security that I had forgotten about long ago, not having been frisked on entry to a concert since 1988). Not wanting to crucify my hearing when it would be needed for the following evening, I indulged by penchant for leaning by finding a railing near the mixing desk which provided both a good view and good sound.
One of the main motivations for attending these concerts was to see what the Melvins' current two-drummer line-up would make of old material such as performed at these concerts. Precise and perfectly synchronised drum-pounding of almost superhuman proportions, is the answer to that one...
Setlist Surprises: The vast majority of the "Eggnog" EP making an appearance during the "Lysol" set.
Setlist Disappointments: None.
The "Lysol" album has always been a firm favourite of mine, so it was a bit disheartening to see the lukewarm reception the material received in the flesh. Personally, I was as happy as could be, especially since "Hung Bunny" and "Roman Dog Bird" seemed to be played at even slower speed than on the record. (Going some way to disproving the theory that songs generally get played faster when on stage).
The second half saw the crowd reaction you'd expect for the more popular "Houdini" album, and much amusement was had watching the bouncers trying to control the crowd-surfing that ensued.
A truly superb evening all told, and the fact that it was going to happen all over again the following night was a uniquely joyous feeling indeed.
Monday 20 May
An enjoyable day spent pottering around, getting prepared for the family visit later in the week, and generally trying to remember who the hell I am away from all the stuff happening back home.
And so back to Brixton in the evening, and an early entry to the venue secured the identical vantage point enjoyed the previous evening.
Once again, the first half of the concert wasn't as warmly appreciated by the crowd as it could have been. Shame, as "Bullhead" is a strong and influential album with some mighty tracks on it. But I loved every minute, so that's all that matters...
Setlist Surprises: None
Setlist Disappointments: None
The second half started badly, and maybe in hindsight the repetitive and minimalist "Lividity" was not the best track from the album to start out with. (In fact, things turned damn ugly, and there were a number of audience punch-ups later on in the set to keep security on their toes). Crowd response was much better than in the first half, but I have always considered "Stoner Witch" a somewhat patchy album, so my attention wandered a bit during some of the more average material.
Monday 21 May
An early start so I can be back behind my desk in Yorkshire by lunchtime, because Friday will see me heading off again to do a whole lot of other stuff which probably won't be anywhere near as good...
The second half saw the crowd reaction you'd expect for the more popular "Houdini" album, and much amusement was had watching the bouncers trying to control the crowd-surfing that ensued.
A truly superb evening all told, and the fact that it was going to happen all over again the following night was a uniquely joyous feeling indeed.
Monday 20 May
An enjoyable day spent pottering around, getting prepared for the family visit later in the week, and generally trying to remember who the hell I am away from all the stuff happening back home.
And so back to Brixton in the evening, and an early entry to the venue secured the identical vantage point enjoyed the previous evening.
Once again, the first half of the concert wasn't as warmly appreciated by the crowd as it could have been. Shame, as "Bullhead" is a strong and influential album with some mighty tracks on it. But I loved every minute, so that's all that matters...
Setlist Surprises: None
Setlist Disappointments: None
The second half started badly, and maybe in hindsight the repetitive and minimalist "Lividity" was not the best track from the album to start out with. (In fact, things turned damn ugly, and there were a number of audience punch-ups later on in the set to keep security on their toes). Crowd response was much better than in the first half, but I have always considered "Stoner Witch" a somewhat patchy album, so my attention wandered a bit during some of the more average material.
Monday 21 May
An early start so I can be back behind my desk in Yorkshire by lunchtime, because Friday will see me heading off again to do a whole lot of other stuff which probably won't be anywhere near as good...
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