the Melvins & Dead Low Tide

After a short, unceremonious thank you, Dead Low Tide kicked the night off quickly with their opening song. Nate Manny's guitars were jagged, erratic and choppy, but far from dissonant. He was able to work in riffs and melody lines in odd places that didn't seem to fit and made them sound like they belonged. Manny was allowed such freedom because Dead Low Tide's rhythm section laid down a strong foundation. Mike Kunka provided an excellent counterpoint to Manny's wanderings up and down the fret board, complimenting his sound perfectly and Coady Willis kept the band's performance thumping with his work behind the drums. Frontman Spencer Moody's presence at the mic was extremely palpable and made all the more striking by his awkward appearance. His emphatic vocals were harsh and passionate, almost like an angry child lashing out.
Moody commanded the stage, and once he had conquered it, he brought his microphone and stand out into the crowd. He began in the middle of the floor as people moshed around him, which looked impressive from my spot on the balcony above. Eventually, Spencer moved his way to the back of the floor, and by the end of their final song, he had fled the scene. With their frontman out of view, Dead Low Tide ended their set without a word. It was a great exit and a convincing performance over all.
The Melvins were up next and greeted the audience with a barrage of feedback from bassist Kevin Rutmanis. The sonic assault continued as the rest of The Melivins took the stage. Their sound was brutal and as thick as molasses, but by no means low brow. The Melvins threw in a lot of changes into their songs keeping their music dynamic. Buzz Osborne lived up to his nickname on vocals and guitar. Amidst the heavy sludge rhythms and grinding guitar, King Buzzo mixed in screaming leads and a few bluesy riffs on songs like "Foaming." His vocal delivery was strong as well, showing a bit of soul to his fierce growl on "The Fool, the Meddling Idiot." Drummer Dale Crover induced praise from the crowd with tight breaks and percussion that ranged from Neanderthal-like pounding to the technically complex.
Without pausing once to address the crowd, The Melvins marched their way through a killer set. As their show wore on, I began to wonder whether or not The Melvins were aware there was an audience present. Just before the end of their performance, Rutmanis flipped a light up sign that read "Melvins" on the top of his cabinet to reveal the word "Thanks" written on the other side. Perhaps The Melvins believed the music spoke for itself. They were right.
- James Barone
- photos by Jeff Shaner

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