Words by Izzy Davis // Photography by Alea Doronsky
As I watched Dinosaur Jr. blast sound through their amps, I couldn’t help but notice the vape clouds wafting through the air, giving an almost mystical aspect to the spotlights that shone onto the indie rock legends. Best known for their work in the 80s and 90s, it was amazing seeing them perform live, seeing what made them so enticing to generations of alternative teens and young adults all these years later.
Staring at the ticket person, somewhat shaken, I repeated my name slowly and clearly, as they radioed their boss. I anxiously waited, before finally hearing the crackly voice on the radio say “I don’t know, let them in or whatever”. Hurriedly presenting my ID before the circumstances changed, I received my wristband and joined the line of excited fans, waiting our turn to see Dinosaur Jr. live. After a few minutes of purchasing some merch, I found myself in a cozy seat and began to get excited for the night ahead. And with that, the waiting began. As the minutes ticked by my anticipation and anxiety were building, with this being my first *real* concert outside of one at a much smaller venue and DIY shows. With people streaming in throughout the 6 pm hour, I couldn’t help but notice how wildly the ages of the attendees differed. From older Gen Xrs to very young Zoomers, everyone piled into the theater and prepared themselves for a night of good music.
The minutes turned into an hour and I began to wonder if I had gotten there too early. As I was second-guessing myself, the opener came onto the stage and I was immediately brought back into the moment. Starting with a few mellow songs before culminating at a sonic climax, Ryley Walker’s set had a very good flow to it. With the songs themselves being trademark indie rock through and through, it made sense that this would be Dinosaur Jr.’s opener given their place in the genre. Throughout the set, I felt my anxiety melting away bit by bit. Walker was a great tee-up to Dinosaur Jr.’s set and a great performer himself.
After a bit more waiting, it was once again time for the music to begin, with the lights dimming and the band members taking the stage. Before they started I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. Often after some time, projects and artists lose a part of what makes them magical, or just even get sick of playing their hits. Once the amps roared to life, however, I was assuaged completely, finding myself losing track of time and just enjoying the music. Initially playing the songs off of their newest albums (Sweep It Into Space), the buildup was perfect into the second half of their older, more well-known material. Dinosaur Jr. as a project hasn’t suffered from the passing of time, with the set being a healthy mixture of new material and the hits that all their fans know and love. It’s easy to imagine a band not being as passionate as they were 40 years ago, but with Dinosaur Jr., this issue just isn’t there. The music and their performance were full of passion and energy that anyone would be lucky to experience. As the songs went on and on, I found myself enthralled with the music, and was able to lose myself in it, being entirely within the moment.
If you like Dinosaur Jr. or just good indie music in general, a concert featuring them is not one to miss. It was a near-perfect concert experience, with everything from the music, lighting, and atmosphere being completely on point. I was nervous going into this concert, with my ticket issue and not truly having been to a concert bigger than local DIY spaces. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Dinosaur Jr. or the crowd at such a big venue, but thankfully I was completely wrong to have been as nervous as I was. Dinosaur Jr. hasn’t slowed down one bit- they still know how to light a fire and inspire those in the audience through their music. While I’ll likely always enjoy more intimate, DIY settings to big concerts, Dinosaur Jr.’s show was a perfect introduction to larger venues and is an act that you should not miss.
Special thanks to AROUSE for the opportunity.
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