The legendary Dinosaur Jr. are currently on their Bug tour, where they perform their 1988 album of the same title in its entirety. They will also be interviewed by punk icon Henry Rollins, and be supported by special guests Pierced Arrows at the Belly Up on Tuesday.
It seems to be the season for reissues for the indie-rock pioneers, beginning with Bug's June re-release on cassette via Joyful Noise (a limited-edition run of 250 hand-numbered copies sold out in one day, prompting the band to reissue a box set of cassettes featuring Dinosaur (1985), You're Living All Over Me (1987) and Bug (1988), complete with a fancy wooden box emblazoned with "monster" artwork. If cassettes are still too "modern" for you, well, you can also purchase your choice of the first three albums, which have also been reissued on vinyl via their label Jagjaguwar.
Before assuming that J Mascis is banking on nostalgia (which he could rightfully do after a 26-year career in music), he busied himself earlier this year supporting his new solo album, Several Shades of Why, a totally acoustic effort of original work. It's a low key, ambiguously confessional collection of songs created with the help of a few indie rock proteges, Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew, Kurt Vile and Godspeed You! Black Emperor violinist Sophie Trudeau. It seems that Mascis is still at the top of his game when it comes to collaborating with some of the biggest names in indie music.
For anyone looking to spend an evening with some of the founding fathers of alternative rock and punk, this evening is not to be missed. Not only will the addition of Rollins be totally unpredictable, the reunion of all three original Dinosaur Jr. members performing the album that essentially broke them up is something worth watching. It's like reuniting with the one that got away (the one being '90s alternative rock). Get your tickets here.
Nada Alic runs the San Diego-based music blog Friends With Both Arms.Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.
