J Mascis

It’s lucky I already know what J Mascis looks like. At 5ft 11, being able to see over a crowd is rarely an issue for me, but J Mascis fans obviously eat their greens as the stage was completely invisible from my handicapped vantage point towards the back of the room. The venue was filled to bursting; a sea of plaid and heavy knitwear beneath a fog of condensation – nobody had elbow-room enough to remove their coats and scarves, it seemed, and the venue’s climate had shifted from temperate to tropic as a result.

Still, he sounded amazing. Heady, ethereal guitar over gravelly yet gentle falsetto. Imperfect, vulnerable, and beautiful. A departure from the visceral energy of Dinosaur Jr, and Witch, and welcome for it. Rousing applause and a perfunctory encore (J Mascis is a modest man) testified to that.

The Haunt, 9 January 2015
Rating:
Louise Bevan