By Dabrowka Nowak, Second Year English
Picture Seattle in the early 90s. Mudhoney have just released Superfuzz Bigmuff in 1988, and Kurt Cobain has listed it as one of his top 50 albums in his diary. The likes of Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and L7 are rapidly becoming more than just the local underground scene, and a musical revolution is fizzing in the air.
Now, over 30 years later, in the O2 Academy in Bristol, Mudhoney revived the movement with a well-oiled, explosive show. Yet, before their entrance, the local legendary band The John E Vistic Rock and Roll Soundsystem played an energetic set to remember.
Self-described as ‘a fireball of punk rock and roll’ on their Facebook page, they certainly lived up to this. Playing songs from their latest album release, DAS UBERMENSCH, available on Spotify, they brought electricity to the venue. John E Vistic jumped off the stage and sang to individual audience members in a manner that seemed to personally reach everyone in the room, as if they too were being included in the band’s set.
The songs ‘SIN SIN SIN’ and ‘King of Rock n Roll’ stuck in my mind as particularly spirited, with the Bristol band promising a revival of grunge that was entirely worthy of opening for some of the founders themselves. In addition, I found that the use of saxophone was a particularly captivating element of the performance, providing a rich, unique tone to further the energy from the two electric guitars.
During a lucky encounter with John E Vistic himself in the smoking area, he spoke of the outstanding durability of Mark Arm’s, Mudhoney’s lead singer, vocals, and how they impressively never falter throughout entire continental tours. Indeed, I found that Arm’s vocals and general sound stayed very true to their recorded music, demonstrating a never-ending talent.
As Mudhoney came on stage, greeted with screams from anticipating fans, they opened with the classic ‘If I Think’, before going on to ‘Move Under’ from the 2023 release Plastic Eternity. Although I found the new ‘delightful garage psych’ (Louder Than War) album and its smooth production to stray slightly from their old chaotic sound, on stage the difference was barely noticeable.
Mark Arm’s smiling nonchalance made his raw vocals come as even more of an impressive shock, and in combination with expertise from original guitarist Steve Turner, drummer Dan Peters and Guy Maddison on bass, the new album’s vibrancy was sold to me in a way I hadn’t previously considered. Reflecting the band’s resilient energy, in the middle of the floor was a never-dying mosh pit.
The personal highlight of the show for me was the incredible ripple of vivacity extending past the mosh pit and across the whole audience at the opening chords of my favourite ‘Touch Me I’m Sick’. The song has historical influence, with even Courtney Love of Hole stating it had ‘saved’ her. The communal joy of having heard it demonstrated that Mudhoney’s legacy has spanned continents and time.
The band left the audience wanting more and chanting ‘one more song’, for them to come out for an encore and play three: the 1992 hit ‘Suck You Dry’, followed by ‘Here Comes Sickness’ (1989) and finally ‘In ‘n’ Out of Grace’ (1988), effectively proving that the fan favourites are those that bring back the nostalgia of original grunge.
Following their quick goodbye and exit, the tone in the room was one of extremely satisfied exhaustion, making Mudhoney’s gig one of the most revitalising performances I’ve ever seen.
Featured Image: Dabrowka NowakWhat's your favourite Mudhoney song?
