Bob Mould (Posted Date: 03 May 2009, 11:53)

Clem Snide / Bob Mould

02.05.09 Luxor, Köln

Bob Mould has a new album out called Life And Times. Yesterday he played at the Luxor to promote it and although the show was labelled as a Bob Mould show the ticket stub already said that Bob would be on first and that "support act" Clem Snide would follow afterwards. The gig was originally scheduled for May 1st at the Gebäude 9 but then the venue and date changed.
It was a warm spring evening and so only about a hundred people showed up when Bob entered the stage with his acoustic guitar at 8 pm. Two songs from his first two albums already left me standing with my mouth open and when he played No Reservations it was already a great show. After introducing three tracks in a row from Life And Times Bob switched to electric guitar for the rest of the set culminating in three old Hüsker Dü classics.
Throughout the gig Bob was very relaxed and seemed to enjoy the show as much as the crowd did.
After a short break Clem Snide took over the task to finish the evening. Their music reminds me of a mixture of Pavement and Granfaloon Bus with some rocking outbursts. I'm not too familiar with their musical output but the show was very enjoyable though the singer's geekyness was tiring sometimes.
Anyway, Bob Mould ruled and will hopefully be back later this year with a full band.

Bob Mould (Posted Date: 06 Jun 2008, 01:44)

Bob Mould / Herrenmagazin

02.06.08 Batschkapp, Frankfurt

What can you expect from a show where songs are played like I Hate Alternative Rock or I Am Vision I Am Sound? Nothing more than a thunderstorm.
It's hot in Frankfurt and it's Monday evening so people seem to have better things to do than listening to an old punk legend like Bob Mould who kicks off his German tour in support of his new album District Line tonight. But first you have to endure 30 minutes of boring indie pop from a band called Herrenmagazin.
There's already enough bands like them like Madsen, Revolverheld, Virginia Jetzt!, Fotos, Kleinstadtelden, etc. so they don't really sound terrible but so replaceable that I can't really remember one of their songs.
Numerous unforgettable songs is what Bob Mould has produced now for nearly thirty years, starting with Hüsker Dü, then Sugar and over the past decade on his own. And tonight he gave the audience a fine selection of his hits starting with two of the finest Sugar tracks The Act We Act and A Good Idea. His guitar still has the power to smash your ears as the volume was absolutely mind blowing. The new album was only featured with two songs, the rest were Sugar classics and tunes spanning his solo albums. And at the end he gave way to Hüsker Dü songs making the old guys in the hall smile all over.
After 80 minutes the thunderstorm at the Batschkapp was over and as we left the venue, the real thunderstorm outside began.

Setlist:
01. The Act We Act
02. A Good Idea
03. I Hate Alternative Rock
04. See A Little Light
05. Hoover Dam
06. I Am Vision I Am Sound
07. The Silence Between Us
08. Hanging Tree
09. Miniature Parade
10. Your Favourite Thing
11. Again And Again
12. Circles
13. Paralyzed
14. Can't Help You Anymore
15. I Apologize
16. Celebrated Summer
17. Divide And Conquer
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18. Egooveride
19. If I Can't Change Your Mind
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20. Chartered Trips
21. Makes No Sense At All