Teragram Ballroom Plays Host to the Bruising Riffage of Dinosaur Jr.

Matt Matasci

Despite a mid-career, decade-long hiatus, Dinosaur Jr.’s popularity has remained constant. Their early SST releases blended fuzzed-out, sludge-caked guitar riffs with infectious melodic hooks, allowing them to flirt with mainstream success. While their major label stint produced only a couple of college radio hits prior to their 1997 breakup, the band’s influence on modern rock music was significant.

Mascis and Lou Barlow were able to bury the hatchet and reform in 2005 to record “Beyond.” Unlike some reunions whose second coming is a painful reminder of how much times have changed, this found the group reinvigorated. The band went on to issue 2012’s “I Bet On Sky” and, now, the recently released “Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not.”

The fact that they sold out three nights at Los Angeles’ Teragram Ballroom is testament to their band’s enduring popularity and Mascis, Barlow and drummer Murph did not disappoint. The trio blasted the room with new tracks and a few classic hits. It was a bit disappointing how low in the mix Mascis’s vocals were, and if the listener was not familiar with their songs, it was challenging to identify one from the next.  

Dinosaur Jr. has a nice set-up on stage, with all three members pushed to the edge of the stage and Murph taking center position. They began with some new songs, including “Love Is…” and “Goin’ Down.” The group’s sound has remained remarkably consistent throughout their career and there’s little difference between new and old material. From Mascis nonchalantly melting the audience’s faces with his guitar mastery to Barlow’s bouncing curly bob, pounding bass and occasional shouted lead vocal, this show could have easily taken place in 1992.

While the new material was well received, three songs in particular got the loudest cheers. The first was “Feel the Pain” from 1994’s “Without a Sound.” Next “Little Fury Things” opened with a squalling wah-wah riff, a heavy dose of distortion and Barlow shouting “What is it? Who is it? Where is it?” The third of was “Start Choppin’,” their biggest hit. This one starts with a clean guitar riff and is easily one of their most mainstream-friendly songs.

Opening the evening was San Francisco psych-pop band Heron Oblivion. With members of Comets on Fire and Espers, they are touted as a “supergroup” and released a well-received debut earlier this year. Lead singer and drummer Meg Baird kept time in a professional manner, but one hopes she will step out from behind the kit and focus solely on her breathtaking vocal ability.

Dinosaur Jr. performed at Teragram Ballroom Sept. 21-23.