The Melvins Take on the Paradise Rock Club

By Haley Biermann

The Melvins did not disappoint at their show at The Paradise Rock Club in Boston, Massachusetts.  The rock band took the stage on August 2, and drew in a large and diverse crowd.  Concert-goers trickled in within minutes of the doors opening, and less than half an hour later, the floor space and the upper level surrounding the stage were filled with eager fans of the three-piece group.  With the band’s formation being in 1983, it’s not surprising there was a bit of an age range, but even those of the younger generation were pumped to see the Melvins tear it up live.

Opening for The Melvins was Spotlights, a metal duo from Brooklyn, New York.  The married couple offered a laidback yet psychedelic feel created through drawn out guitar chords.  Interspersed throughout the drones were more melodic guitar riffs and intense vocals from Mario Quintero.  Mario Quintero’s voice made for a cool contrast to Sarah Quintero’s, which was light and airy in comparison.  Overall it was a great way to start a show- an impressive sound without attempting to steal the spotlight (no pun intended). 

The Melvins were greeted with an energy that one can’t doubt made them feel right at home.  Lead vocalist and guitarist Buzz Osborne rocked his famous wild hairdo that almost looked as though it had a mind of its own.  The band opened with “Sacrifice.”  They achieved a killer hard metal sound, but with a significant amount of tour experience, make it appear effortless.  While Osbourne seemed to drift around the stage with an intense seriousness, bassist Jared Warren looked ready to explode along with the booming tones his guitar produced.  He often crouched low to the ground for fans to see his fingers fly across the strings. 

Along with some of their hits including “It’s Shoved” and “Opinions Make the Milk Taste Bad,” the Melvins also performed some pretty awesome covers.  They offered fans a hard metal version of the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” and David Bowe’s “Saviour Machine.” The sound usually did not break between songs, as a drone continued straight into the next track on the set list.  Rather than becoming monotonous, the fluidity made the concert similar to a theatrical performance.  The Melvins seemed to say that the music would only stop when they felt like it, creating an awesome “we do whatever we want and have a great time doing it” vibe.  With incredible guitar solos, on point vocals, and nonstop energy, the audience certainly wasn’t complaining, and neither were we.