Australian Tour Reviews

[meezer]

Steven CD? Did I miss something? 

[black stallion]

I have to admit I don't like Steven McDonald and his antics

Same here, or at least not in Melvins anyway.

hey i didn't say that 

[))))((((]

Opps, an editing error there from me!

[black stallion]

Opps, an editing error there from me!

anyway, i can see why Melvins fans are not too much into Steven "glammy" style...though i like to think he's the bassist Buzz&Dale have always dreamed to play with 

[Bigval]

Thanks for all the reviews! Is there a tour shirt specific to Australia this year?

Mine was show #2 on the tour and I didn't see one just standard Melvins & Redd Kross logo t-shirts.

[Bigval]

Opps, an editing error there from me!

anyway, i can see why Melvins fans are not too much into Steven "glammy" style...though i like to think he's the bassist Buzz&Dale have always dreamed to play with 

I've got no doubt that being able to tour constantly without needing to worry about a bass player disappearing or whatever endears him to them and I'm sure he's a lovely fella behind the scenes but all the carry on on stage with the scissor kicks and dancing gets old pretty quick and although he has a decent tone it feels like they're 'settling' for him.

[black stallion]

Opps, an editing error there from me!

anyway, i can see why Melvins fans are not too much into Steven "glammy" style...though i like to think he's the bassist Buzz&Dale have always dreamed to play with 

I've got no doubt that being able to tour constantly without needing to worry about a bass player disappearing or whatever endears him to them and I'm sure he's a lovely fella behind the scenes but all the carry on on stage with the scissor kicks and dancing gets old pretty quick and although he has a decent tone it feels like they're 'settling' for him.

i think this guy added more bass lines than Jared in five and more years. still i can see your point about his stage presence

[Bigval]

i think this guy added more bass lines than Jared in five and more years. still i can see your point about his stage presence

Probably true I don't remember Jared's bass playing being all that prolific but I thought he made up for that by being an excellent back up vocalist and the heavier sound of two drummers helped too.

[rimb]

i think this guy added more bass lines than Jared in five and more years. still i can see your point about his stage presence

Probably true I don't remember Jared's bass playing being all that prolific but I thought he made up for that by being an excellent back up vocalist and the heavier sound of two drummers helped too.

[Bigval]

You don't think so? I thought he was the best back up singer the band ever had his vocals complimented Buzz very well.

[rimb]

You don't think so? I thought he was the best back up singer the band ever had his vocals complimented Buzz very well.

They always really grated and I thought they overused him for vocals.

Just a personal preference I guess, but I've always preferred the band as a 3 piece (unless Sir David Scott Stone is involved!)

[(the) Razor]

I went to the Sydney show. It was easily the best gig I've been to.

First time I wore ear protection and will do so from now on. It's still loud but can actually here the guitar, it's legible. Especially being up next to the PA 
Managed to get up about a metre away from Buzz again. It's surreal, will never get used to it - all that history right there in front of you. I spent the other half on the right hand side next to Steve for Redd Kross. At all times, I made sure I could watch Dale. That guy is an animal and just great watching one of the greatest rock drummers ever. The people in the crowd weren't familiar with Melvins but heard them talking about how good "the drummer" for Redd Kross was.

Setlist from what I can remember. It's probably out of order or missing one song, but it's close.

    Sacrifice
    Oven
    Anaconda
    Queen
    The Kicking Machine
    It's Shoved
    I Want to Hold Your Hand
    Euthanasia
    Edgar the Elephant
    The Bit
    Lovely Butterfly (Intro)
    Scooba
    Onions Make the Milk Taste Bad
    AMAZON
    Hung Bunny
    Roman Dog Bird

I've seen Hung Bunny / Roman Dog Bird before but just soaked it up the second time round. First time hearing Amazon, Anaconda, The Bit and Euthanasia live. Great setlist. I wish they went full Lovely Butterflies but it was nice to hear that familiar drum pattern. Oh and I got to see Oven live which was a bucket list type of deal for me. Next is Boris.

Hit the fucking roof with excitement when Dale said "see you next year!" but then realised he might have just said that off the cuff as he corrected it. All in all a life experience that I treasure. I mean were talking 4 times in 20 years of being a fan, so the 9th of November is something that I will remember until I get dementia. Seeing Melvins is such a personal thing, far more than any other band. The bar is set so high but each time, it's a better set for them. Hope to see them again in 4 years time!

Excuse my shitty photos, I wasn't there to photograph! Also the review, just typed this out directly without editing.

First one is of Redd Kross halfway through some song I didn't know.
Second one was Buzz warming up.
Third was the intro to Hung Bunyy, recognised that straight away LOL

[black stallion]

 

[Bigval]

A review of the Melvins/Redd Kross show at The Gov in Adelaide is in the latest issue of street press B-Side Magazine that I can't link to but can be read online, double page review on pages 60-61.

https://issuu.com/thebsidemag/docs/bside_20issue_20_23100_fad735f401f675

Blowing My Load in the Front Row with Redd Kross and Melvins Live Review

by Romana Ashton (of The Sunday Reeds), Photos by Iain Dalrymple

Redd Kross and Melvins are very different bands but have at least one thing in common; they know how to put on a rock 'n roll show of the highest calibre. I felt privileged to witness both bands in action last Saturday night. Judging by the reaction from the audience, I wasn't the only one.

I first came across the Melvins in my teen years through my love of Nirvana (you may have heard of them). I bought the Melvins 1993 album Houdini and listened to it along with my ever-growing eclectic music collection.

Of course, Melvins are a hugely influential band, if you didn't know that already, now you do.

Redd Kross, on the other hand, were not a band I had the pleasure of discovering at that time. I wish that I had, as a massive Beatles nerd, I would have appreciated their keen pop acumen.

The four-piece, who are dressed in some rather fine shiny outfits with a hint of glam rock, begin their set with Lady in the Front Row. The irony is not lost on me as I stand front and centre at Jeff McDonald's (singer/guitarist) feet.

I admire Jeff's Beatles-esque boots. I however, being about fifteen years younger than the band don't think I am too old as implied by the lyrics You look so fine, But are you too old to be in the first in line? No, I'm bloody not, I think, not ever.

As Redd Kross make their way through their set I notice audience members singing along to pop-tastic hits such as Stay Away From Downtown and Jimmy's Fantasy (the latter from the 1993 album Phaseshifter).

Keeping up the pop sensibility the band launch into a flawless cover of The Beatles It Won't Be Long which has me bopping away in the vein of a 60's teenager suffering from Beatlemania. Jason Shapiro (guitar) and Steven McDonald (bass) provide the backing vocal Yeahs. I think perhaps they might share my penchant for pop nerdiness.

A gentleman that I spot early on as a potential annoyance to me and possibly to others, has now edged his way to the front. He proceeds to pull a harmonica from his pocket. His intention is to jam with the band. From here on in, I shall refer to him as HG (Harmonica Guy).

HG, during the first half of the Redd Kross set, seems hell-bent on pulling a foldback speaker off the stage. I place my hand firmly on it. He looks at me as if I am his mum stopping him from rocking out. HG's friends also intervene before the very cranky looking sound guy comes out to reposition it.

One of the best things about the show is the sharing of members (no pun intended) between Redd Kross and Melvins, Redd Kross have Dale Crover from Melvins playing drums for them and Steven McDonald from Redd Kross is on bass for Melvins.

I am always mesermised by energetic drummers and bass players, so I am thrilled to be able to watch Dale and Steven play two consecutive sets. They don't disappoint.

Steven McDonald is a flaming fireball of a rock 'n' roll energy. He makes it all look so effortless as he pulls out some co-ordinated glam rock moves during a cover of Kiss's Deuce. Steven seems fond of getting close to the audience, throwing some wild poses which makes a lot of people with mobile phone very happy.

Redd Kross finish up with a brilliant cover of Bowie's Saviour Machine and their own epic Linda Blair. I quickly grab Jeff's pick that he has dropped on the stage. I hope to catch some rock 'n' roll sex germs from it so I can infect myself and my band with them when I play gigs.

After Redd Kross finish, I make my way to the back of the room to chat with people about the show so far. I happen to look up as Jason, Dale and Jeff meander through the crowd. I say without hesitation, Good Show. Jeff gives me a reassuring pat on the shoulder, We saw you there. All I can think of is Lady in the Front Row.

Now it's time for Melvins. Buzz Osbourne make a grand entrance, his hair, electric white and crazy. He is dressed in a magnificent, God-like tunic complete with tights that closely resemble some that I own. He has a commanding presence. The crowd trembles with excitement. I have slight outfit and hair envy.

Equally, when Dale and Steven appear with costume changes, the audience can tell this is going to be one of the best shows of the year. Dale is now in black and Steven is dressed in a faux fur black vest. Okay, I have major outfit envy.

Melvins commence with a cover of Flipper's Sacrifice. Things are off to an intense start and Buzz maintains this growing intesity throughout the evening.

As Melvins move from Oven through to It's Shoved, they then play a cover of a cover; The Moving Sidewalks' (1968) gritty version of The Beatles' I Want To Hold Your Hand.

About this time, a 90's style testosterone fuelled mosh-pit starts up behind me. I am immediately reminded of some things I wasn't too fond of as a teen.

Memories of being squished against sweaty, shirtless men come flooding back as I am bumped from behind by the all-male jostling. I'm not what you would call a fan of 'moshing'. I identify fully with Daria and Jane from Daria.

It is also around this time HG jumps up onto the stage only to be chastised by Dale: Mate, don't make a fool of yourself. We get nervous when people get on stage these days, for obvious reasons. I like Dale. He's almost Daria.

HG doesn't even seem to realise Dale is directing these comments toward him because HG is having such a good fucking time.

As Melvins seamlessly end the set and merge straight into their encore from the Lysol album, the smell of pot wafts over the crowd and the stage. Dale comments: Adelaide is a real jazz town, a real scat town, before jokingly breaking into a scattin' drum solo. He isn't wrong. It is.

Hung Bunny and Roman Dog Bird are played to an adoring crowd as the night ends. The smell of jazz cigarettes hangs heavily in the air.

Dale plays his last beat, sticks throw down; That's it. We've blown our load. We hope you blew yours too. Did you feel it? Because we did.

And that, kids, is how you play a rock 'n' roll show.

[surfling]

and that is how you write a review!

thanks for this. a really fun read.