Album Reviews

Having recently seen Dinosaur Jr live, I can tell you that their shows are indeed loud. They make Spinal Tap look like a bunch of sissies!  Luckily I still control the volume of my TV so that now I can enjoy a Dinosaur Jr show without the risk of permanent hearing damage.

In 2011 Dinosaur Jr played 1988’s “Bug” in its entirety at a limited run of shows and the 9:30 Club in Washington DC is where they decided to commit the whole thing to tape with Henry Rollins opening up by interviewing the band. While Barlow and Murph seem happy enough to do the interview, Mascis seems to be off in his own little world. One in which there is no 9:30 Club whatsoever. Not a real shocker, the guy has a reputation to uphold.

The show itself was filmed by six fans, which gives it a little extra. They focus on the band and do a good job of registering the show rather than making a video that cuts relentlessly to shots from a zillion different angles, something that would only please the ADD kids out there. Well, we probably have Dave Markey to thank for that. He oversaw the whole thing and you might know him from the Sonic Youth film, “1991 : The Year Punk Broke”.

Rounding out this DVD is a backstage interview with the fans, Henry Rollins on the history of the 9:30 Club and some bonus live footage (“In A Jar”, “The Wagon”).