Black & Blue Friday: Melvins Live in NYC

[))))((((]

it struck me that Ipecac will not be making anyone sick without Melvins. Melvins might have made Ipecac what it is

Essentially yes, you're right, and it was even Buzz who came up the label name too! Personally i never check to see what they are doing nowadays. It's amazing to think they kicked it off with Melvins, Fantomas and Tomahawk releases and then to see some of the hipster stuff they have promoted the last few years.

[Stonergrunge]

What was the show like? Was it mostly the actual performance? Outside of the Void Manes track, was there much bonus stuff? Was it like the material in the other Melvins TV episodes?

the band just posted a snippet of the song It's shoved and i noticed there's almost no bass in the mix, weird

Yeah just heard that myself! Perhaps at this point Steven is a pure hype man and they don't let him plug into the amps! Ha.

I thought it was quite good, no special guests though, just a normal show. If I remember correctly, they played Sacrifice, Oven, It's Shoved, Charlie, Lovely Butterfly, Lizzy, Mister Dog Is Totally Right, Never Say You're Sorry, Hooch, Honey Bucket, Evil New War God and With Teeth... maybe I forgot a few titles but that is what I remember right now.

Sacrifice
Oven
Lovely Butterfly
Anaconda
It's Shoved
Lizzy
Charlie
Euthanasia
Mister Dog Is Totally Right
Never Say You're Sorry
A History Of Bad Men
Hooch
Honey Bucket
Evil New War God
The Bit
With Teeth

I watched the show yesterday for the second time and these are all the songs from the show. Now, in terms of the actual order... ehm, I'm not really sure, I should've written down the setlist while I was watching it but nah, I wanted to enjoy it properly.

[))))((((]

I watched the show yesterday for the second time and these are all the songs from the show.

Did they keep the show intact and just put the bonus stuff at the start and the end? Were there any interviews like with the other Melvins TV episodes or just the Void Manes track?

[Chief Ten Beers]

 I can't be the only one who's sort of a Melvins completist yet has no desire to buy/watch these Live Stream Obscene shows on Blu-Ray. They could put the whole show up for free on youtube and I wouldn't sit through it. I have the cheapy CD, and the 3-LP set. Nice performance and varied show songwise, but visually no, this doesn't work for me. I don't want to see a band I like playing live w/ masks on. Will always remind the viewer of '20/'21, and make the whole performance dated to the pandemic. Great for the band if they sell a bunch of these and make a profit, I as a longtime fan just have no use for it.

[Stonergrunge]

I watched the show yesterday for the second time and these are all the songs from the show.

Did they keep the show intact and just put the bonus stuff at the start and the end? Were there any interviews like with the other Melvins TV episodes or just the Void Manes track?

The whole thing started with the Melvins TV test pattern with Foaming as background music, after that they showed a small VHS style advertising for Bad Mood Rising, then two announcements: one, related to the Melvins dolls... a new video, maybe? And the other one for the Blu-ray. Then, the Zyklon B Zombie cover, a small anecdote told by Buzz about a car accident caused by a junkie, a footage of the trip they took to get to the Irving Plaza and a sped-up sequence before the show with the crew installing the gear onstage with a few credits explaining the place and date of the gig and the name of the members of the band (duh!). After the show ended, there is another sped-up sequence of the crew uninstalling the gear followed by a small segment of Dale dancing with another guy and giving a double middle finger to the camera.

I can't be the only one who's sort of a Melvins completist yet has no desire to buy/watch these Live Stream Obscene shows on Blu-Ray. They could put the whole show up for free on youtube and I wouldn't sit through it. I have the cheapy CD, and the 3-LP set. Nice performance and varied show songwise, but visually no, this doesn't work for me. I don't want to see a band I like playing live w/ masks on. Will always remind the viewer of '20/'21, and make the whole performance dated to the pandemic. Great for the band if they sell a bunch of these and make a profit, I as a longtime fan just have no use for it.

Well, they said there is going to be bonus stuff included.

[))))((((]

Thanks Stoner! That's fantastic details there, cheers for taking the time to write both of your posts about the show. Much appreciated.

[IanFraser]

I was at the show right in front of Buzz.  My second Melvins show (both this year).  I little bummed it was the same set both times but I knew that was standard issue.  The mosh pit started about three people behind me.  Lots of energy in the crowd.  Not sure how I feel about Stephen singing History of Bad Men.

I bought the Veeps video.  Agree the bass is low in the mix but it's there.  I'd like to see a mix of color and B&W.  There are 2 or 3 glitches in the video where the image freezes for 3-4 seconds but the audio continues.  I wouldn't say there was any significant 'bonus' material.  The Void Mains piece on the video wasn't really representative of what he did at the show which was extremely loud droning bass-centered techno with odd Rorschach test images on the screen.  Not my cup of tea.  I wish I could 'own' the video for $10 instead of having it disappear after a month.  Is there a way to record my computer screen for future enjoyment?

The posted set list is correct except that ENWG came after Never Say You're Sorry.  I met a Russian guy in the line to get in.  He was on the rail about 5 people to the right of me.  After the show, a roadie removed Stephen's set list from the floor and threw it to the Russian (after crumpling it up).  I took a photo.

Looking forward to the US leg of the 40th anniversary.  Could we hope for Cody to join in?


[/quote]

Sacrifice
Oven
Lovely Butterfly
Anaconda
It's Shoved
Lizzy
Charlie
Euthanasia
Mister Dog Is Totally Right
Never Say You're Sorry
A History Of Bad Men
Hooch
Honey Bucket
Evil New War God
The Bit
With Teeth

I watched the show yesterday for the second time and these are all the songs from the show. Now, in terms of the actual order... ehm, I'm not really sure, I should've written down the setlist while I was watching it but nah, I wanted to enjoy it properly.
[/quote]

[amazonAMAZON]

Neither "Charlie" nor "Euthanasia" are songs I particularly look forward to in a set, but I like these renditions back to back. I like the way the start of Charlie hiccuped, then how it speeds up at the end.

I think Ian mentioned before that Steven's exhortations of "Dale Crover" and "King Buzzo" are pretty lame. But here he more just has the energy of an Irish Setter (and the hair).

I wish the early verses of "Mr Dog" (angel dust..) had better harmonies. It barely works on the record, so getting looser on stage doesn't help. Maybe they could give it the "Skin Horse" treatment next time.

Goddamn, that opening sequence with "Sacrifice" and the snare roll into "It's Shoved" and all those old tunes is so dope. That could have easily been a Live EP of its own and been one of the best things they put out in the last few years.

[amazonAMAZON]

The second half of "Mr. Dog" (shall we call it the "Totally Right" half?) is fucking amazing here. Even better than either time I saw them live this year. The solo vs the na-na-nas was exquisite. At the end Buzz wrinkled his nose toward the camera and it almost seemed like he was smiling or at least enjoying himself.

I love when Buzz scuttles across the stage like some evasive Sonic the Hedgehog miniboss.

[amazonAMAZON]

During "History of Bad Men" is Dale going back and forth between his low harmony voice, his normal singing voice, and a Buzzo impersonation? I keep hearing a syllable or two in that unmistakeable bellow while Buzz is nowhere near the microphone.

[amazonAMAZON]

Dale's snare sounds so wickedly reverby on "Hooch" is that all the room? Or you think there's an effect?

[amazonAMAZON]

So strange still, seeing Steven play. If you listen, he really is playing the notes of the songs, (better now than when he first started with the Melvins.) But if you watch him he just looks like an overgrown kid in pajamas playing air guitar even though his parents told him it's bed time. Such a ham.

Anyway, really great set. The presentation is pretty good. The angles change often enough that even with just a static backdrop and no dynamic stage lights, fog machine, etc. it's an engaging watch throughout.

Most importantly it's a better memento of the shows I saw than video from those actual shows would have been.

I wonder if this thing will be on the Blu-ray. I didn't really catch that on the first watch.

Also the Void Manes track mostly slipped by me. I didn't dislike it, but there was just a lot of building atmosphere and not much else to hold onto. Maybe in the context of the reocrd it'll make more sense. Or if it's really all TG tribute, maybe it'll make less sense.

I rambled. Excuse me, I think I need some extra napkins. I rambled everywhere, I know they have someone to clean it up but I just feel bad about leaving a mess. What? You can't wait for me to wipe this up? Oh, they're out of napkins. Well, that's what you get, I guess. Attention retail establishments: If you want your patrons to help clean up you should at least restock the napkin dispenser.

[moose]

During "History of Bad Men" is Dale going back and forth between his low harmony voice, his normal singing voice, and a Buzzo impersonation? I keep hearing a syllable or two in that unmistakeable bellow while Buzz is nowhere near the microphone.

Thought the same about the Buzz sounds.

[))))((((]

Watching this right now! The BMR ad is a funny touch - a totally tongue in cheek thing. A joke ad like some cheesy promo on TV or something. The lovers embracing in the background is kinda funny. Like Melvins are a romance band! I can see now why people thought the dolls were going to be sold too since it says "coming soon". I bet a lot of people were fooled by that. The Void Manes track was okay. Perhaps not as good as i was expecting. It reminds me of the material on Love. I was surprised there isn't more bonus material here. I thought there would be quite a bit.

As for the actual show it's okay. I think for hardcore fans it's a little redundant since we've probably all already seen the gig footage from this tour. Yet like the other Melvins TV episodes, it serves as a little curio piece for anyone intrigued to see it presented in this way. Also did anyone else notice that Dale seems to fuck up the beginning of It's Shoved?? It sounds really awkward in the transition from his drum intro to when the band kick in. I don't recall them ever doing that before there. It's usually seamless! Maybe it's not Dale's fault but something goes astray for sure.

[amazonAMAZON]

Yeah I noticed one or two bits that were a bit clunky in the transitions.