DINOSAUR JR. ROCKS NIGHT 1 OF 2 AT BROOKLYN BOWL

Sometimes you just need to escape. Whether its from the all too familiar headline of “(Insert place here) is now the deadliest mass shooting in American history” or learning that one of the titans of music you grew up on has passed on – sometimes you just need to get away. That was all I wanted to do at Brooklyn Bowl on Monday as, the once again unthinkable happened in Las Vegas (when a gunman killed over 50 people) and Tom Petty’s (the iconoclast rebel with the melodious touch) life hung in the balance. All I wanted to do was shut my brain off and let music transport me somewhere else. Luckily J Mascis, Lou Barlow, & Emmett Jefferson Murphy III brought their iconic Dinosaur Jr.

*This was the first night of their two-night stand at Brooklyn Bowl. Buy tickets for tonight HERE.*

Opening the night was the rage-fueled vibe that is Easy Action. Frontman John Brannon can easily win the title of angriest looking man in rock and roll. And the full-throated howl he puts forth matches the demeanor to a tee. Bassist Ron Sakowski, guitarist Harold Richardson, and drummer John Lehl each play with a speed and furious to keep pace with Brannon’s fury.

Easy Action

Dinosaur Jr. was up next. And they brought their legendary 6-foot plus tall stack with them to pretty much melt any puny ear plugs that got in their way. J Mascis is perhaps the most economical and effortless of the great guitarists I’ve ever seen. He puts forth wave after wave of fuzzy licks and screeching riffs – with a little help of the mother of all pedal boards.

Dinosaur Jr.

Dino Jr

Lou Barlow

Dino Jr

Dinosaur Jr.

Dino Jr

While Mascis is minimalist in his movements, bassist Barlow and drummer Murphy do their share to whip forth some – in Barlow’s case it’s hair flips and swing-arounds, while Murphy’s arms move across the kits with a frenetic pace.

Dino Jr

Murph

Dino Jr

Dinosaur Jr. played a crowd-pleasing set, one that hopefully helped take any anxious audience members to a more comforting place. One that could help put the disastrous events of the day behind them – if only for a while. Sometimes that’s the best we can hope for. It shouldn’t have to be, but sometimes it is.