Few bands survive to celebrate 30 years of existence, so these two shows are indeed special.
EARTH’s [6] Dylan Carlson knows all about survival, yet despite the deserved reverence paid to the drone/rock trio, you can’t help but feel his endeavours outside of Earth (such as his collaboration with The Bug) are where his more creative juices are flowing. With these two nights showcasing the polar extremes on NEUROSIS’s [6] extensive catalogue it’s no surprise that on the first the Cali masters indulge their expansive, melancholic side. What’s surprising is just how uninspiring their set is, with new tracks like Stones From The Sky lacking both the emotional and physical gut-punch of the more familiar Lost or the cataclysmic Locust Star. Paying homage to their punk roots, night two sees the band joined first by anarcho-punk legends the SUBHUMANS [7], who scarily sound as relevant today as they did in Thatcher’s Britain, and next by d-beat originators DISCHARGE [8] – the latter’s noise-addled onslaught also horribly apt. Delving headfirst into their most punishing material, NEUROSIS [9] are a revelation – Takeahnase and The Doorway stripping you to a soggy pulp, before Through Silver In Blood pounds what’s left of you into the dirt.
