Home Editor's Picks Dinosaur Jr. Distorts and Contorts in the Best Possible Way

Dinosaur Jr. Distorts and Contorts in the Best Possible Way

by Carrie Zukoski

Nearly one year from the date of their 2021 concert cancellation, Dinosaur Jr. pulsated their way through St. Louis in support of their Sweep It into Space album released in April 2021. 

Young and old(er) hardcore fans attended their concert Friday, September 23, at The Pageant ready to rock to what Louder referred to as “the perfect Gen-X band.” The article went on to say, “Born out of the US hardcore punk scene, singer/guitarist J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph did the truly punk thing: instead of bashing out angry three-chord anthems, they reinvented hard rock, in all of its long-haired, psychedelic, wah-wah pedalled glory. Dinosaur Jr took the wasted country rock of Neil Young and the Stones, bolted a 500cc punk rock engine on to it, and filled the tank with heavy metal gasoline.”

And they haven’t lost their steam. The trio flexed their fuzz-laden frequencies performing favorites including, “Feel the Pain,” “The Lung,” and “The Wagon,” as well as “I Ain’t” and “To Be Waiting” from Sweep It into Space. They rounded out the noise-rock night with their well-known cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.”

Singer/songwriter Ryley Walker and band opened the night with a short set of easy-going, laid-back, and somewhat floaty songs. Walker shared about various times he’d spent in St. Louis including a night in 2005 at the now-shuttered Creepy Crawl opening for of Montreal, who, coincidentally, was performing in St. Louis just a few miles away on this very night. 

See more photos from the night: https://bit.ly/DinoJr22cz

Setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/dinosaur-jr/2022/the-pageant-st-louis-mo-23b05457.html

 

 

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In my work life, I help nonprofits and small businesses with media and public relations. In my what I love to do life, you can typically find me photographing either wild horses or concerts.

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