Melvins Live Trilogy (Louisville, Indianapolis, Columbus)

[Captain CoryCory]

http://doodlehound.blogspot.com/2016/08/melvins-live-trilogy-2016-louisville.html

Here's a more wordy or proper "review" take and thoughts on the recent shows. Believe me, it's been a blast this last week.

The Melvins have come close in support of their current album "Basses Loaded", a fun little album with six different bassists and in a sense an inside joke of their constant changing bassists and rotating lineup. Also, songs about baseball! This time around they recruited new bassist Steven Shane McDonald (Redd Kross, OFF!) to round out the low thumpin to Osborne and Crover's crushing riffs and powerful drums. From initial footage, Steven already fits this band like a glove, adding his own skillful flair to the band. Needless to say the hype for this tour built up quite well!

Stepping into each respective venue (Headliner's, The Vogue Theatre, A&R Music Bar) was always a treat in itself. In regards to Melvins merch was the haze version of the Stoner Witch reissue (Which was gone by the Columbus show), a handful of 7-inch releases of related bands (The Le Butcherettes one gone by Indy), shirts, letterpress CDs and five dollar Pricks! While the collector vinyl and "buying it for art more than the music" mindset has left a good amount of people divided the reality is they had plenty of Prick, Stoner Witch and Houdini vinyl and those were all long gone regardless of the price. The Melvins have a loyal, rabid fanbase and it does make them stick out as a rare footnote in this infinite world of music.

This week was literally my first exposure to Helms Alee at all. Personally, I tend to do this thing where I go into a live show and have that be the literal first experience of any musician with no spoilers and only the stage to tell the initial chapter. Needless to say from the opening sludgy riffs and peering yells of this Seattle band my mind started to catch on to a heavy yet melodic sound topped by molasses bass and a drummer that filled, battered and composed chaos in rhyth. Then the song peered into a melodic bliss with a duet of warm voices. The opening song of Helms Alee had me engaged and utterly hooked. The remaining 35 minutes each night remained just as powerful and downright fun with old songs and a good handful from their forthcoming album "Stillicide". Seeing the drummer laugh and smile along with the band in their  heaviness was utterly infectious and set the standards for a fun night.

Sometime after the Melvins would take the stage, Shane and Dale adorned in KISS-font shirts and Buzz in the gold and purple muumuu. Then guitar noise would wail and then a peering bass. The next ten minutes composed the classic sludge of "Eye Flys", down to the menacing barks of "I lay like you" had the crowd banging heads and utterly mesmerized. Following would be an excellent cover of KISS' "Deuce", led by McDonald, to snap the trance and up the tempo! The Melvins set soared onwards with a mix of old classics like "Queen" among new classics  like "National Hamster" and "The Kicking Machine" with a swank cover of Redd Kross' "Janus, Jeanie and George Harrison". The next three songs however was my personal highlight of the set.

"Euthanasia" trudged and trowed with murky riff and thunderous bass as a gem and a rarity, one of their best songs to never make it on any record. This would transition to the murky jazz of "Mr. Rip Off" (From 2012's "Freak Puke") topped with a healthy dose of jazzy solos...

And then Halo of Flies. Halo of Holy God Damned Flies.

Not too much unlike The Wipers' "Youth of America" is this a case where The Melvins take a song that's already astounding and unforgettable and make it just that much more of a pleasure of a listen. Most listeners of the Melvins may have seen this live or heard it on the Jello & The Melvins "Sieg Howdy!" but live it truly is a beast to behold with all the changes, the energy and Dale Crover standing atop his kit for one of the final verses to put the out-of-nowhere exclamation on this epic!

Newer songs such as the thrashy "Hideous Woman", the bulldozing "Onions Make The Milk Go Bad" or the gloomy war-torn epic of the "Decay of Lying" battered ears before the closing cadence of perennial favorite "Night Goat" (Which the Columbus crowd moshed all-out to, clearly building up tension towards this!) and a daffy ending of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" to send listeners home after roughly seventy minutes of pure heavy, stumbling home as "Neon Knights" blares on the sound system.

Steven Shane McDonald's performance was in particular a joy to watch by taking lead on some tracks, his humorous banter and the energy he brought. Whipping his hair about, manic banshee-like screams, jumping about and at least one of the shows had a ripping bass solo during "Onions Make The Milk Go Bad". But of course along with that was Dale Crover's stellar drumming and of course Buzzo's bulldozing guitar craft. At the end of it all The Melvins always put up a good show but this one in particular felt like a must-see gig. Don't miss it if you have the chance!

[meezer]

Awesome! Don't forget the Jesus billboards! 

[Captain CoryCory]