Bob Mould celebrates 40 years of gigging this week. Like Kristin Hersh last week, Bob comes from one of the big three college rock/indie bands – in this case Hüsker Dü. He also led Sugar, the band that made his commercial name with the classic ‘Copper Blue’ album.
Mould used to describe Hüsker Dü as one of the few bands who could combine noise, melody and power (after 2 hours online, I can’t find the actual quote) and he still excels at this. New album ‘Sunshine Rock’ isn’t exciting me as much as ‘Patch The Sky’ did, but it does what it says on the tin with a dozen 3-minute work-outs.
The Electric Ballroom is not a venue I visit often. My only previous visit was to see Bob Mould in 2013, for a gig I didn’t massively enjoy. It’s an L-shaped room with the stage at the top of the letter, so a whole chunk of audience doesn’t even get to see the stage. And the sound’s not brilliant either.
First up are Pabst, a German band that sound like Manic Street Preachers jamming with Nirvana, with Budgie’s Burke Shelley on vocals. After a couple of songs, I’m convinced. ‘Shake The Disease’ I remember as being particularly good, and I regret not buying their shirt and CD. Hopefully they’ll be back.
Pabst at The Electric Ballroom
Bob and the band come on stage with no fanfare. Jason Narducy (bass) and Jon Wurster (drums) have been Bob’s band for a decade now, longer than either of the formally named bands existed. They’re a staggering rhythm section, allowing Mould’s guitar to shimmer on top. He’s quite an aggressive singer - every fourth song a roadie comes and replaces the spit-shield on his microphone.
Jason Narducy, Jon Wurster & Bob Mould at The Electric Ballroom
Guitar solos are many and glorious. Mould has a habit of walking in large circles as he plays which is engaging – I was waiting for him to be on the wrong side of the stage when the next verse started.
We get the hits, many new songs and a whole lot of Hüsker Dü material. A couple of my favourites from the catalogue – ‘Sinners and Their Repentances’ and ‘See a Little Light’ are played for the first time in ages. And we dance and sing and mosh, until…
Towards the end, in between songs, my watch strap was jammed against my left hand so I went to move it. At that moment someone jolted me and the stem of the watch got rammed into the cuticle of my right thumb. Much blood. Which quite put me off jumping around like an idiot to ‘New Day Rising’, and at the end of the song (and the set) I made my exit. This is the same thumb I did something disastrous to in a Bad Religion gig and spent a year giving it physiotherapy. It may start staying at home when I go out.
Great gig though. And, on the subject of shirts, Bob had a plaid shirt on sale, with the only insignia being an embroidered label on the inside. Fer crying out loud…
Videos
From the night. As ever, the videos are from various sources on the web. The photos are mine.
Pabst - Shake The Disease
Sinners & Their Repentances/In A Free Land
If I Can't Change Your Mind
New Day Rising
Set List
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/bob-mould/2019/electric-ballroom-london-england-1b927d7c.html