Brand old heavies

Sunday night I saw the Melvins for the first time. Until Sunday night I think the loudest band I'd ever seen was (believe it or not) Midnight Oil back in the early nineties. Currently the Melvins tour with Big Business, the core members of Big Business also serve as the Melvins bass player and second drummer. When you first look at the drum kits it looks like they've been fused together, with certain parts shared by both drummers. The mirror image effect is fairly apparent when watching the two drummers.

Big Business set was a nice somewhat brutal way to start the night off. Originally consisting of drummer Coady Willis and bassist Jared Warren, they seem to have added a guitar/noisemaker who I have no idea what his name is. He definitely helps round them out as far as guitar and added to the chaotic music that is Big Business. For a band that rocks so hard, they have a rather subdued presence on state, such as the guitar playing just staring off to the ceiling has he was playing these awesome riffs. Towards the end of the set Dale Crover (drummer for the Melvins) came out and played guitar with them for the last few songs.

Then then the Melvins came on. I'd say they stormed the stage but they sort of just ambled up to their spots and just started playing the first song. They pretty much didn't say anything and played a blistering set straight through to the end. I don't know what Buzz Osborne or Dale Crover's speaking voice sound like at all after seeing that show. Buzz came out wearing a camouflage robe and Jared nice floral print dress. Here again was another example of a band that freaking kills it and yet manages to stay pretty mellow when performing. They seemed to just get up there and play the set. The mirrored drum playing was just intense, those two drummers have some awe inspiring senses of timing. To stand there ant watch them play the twin set was just amazing, I really don't have many works for it.

It really was an awesome show. I was already a fan of both bands but after seeing the two together for the first time, I'm pretty much blown away. I will be going to see them again the next time they swing through.