Kongos made Providence dance with their African inspired upbeat alternative rock

By: Josh Estrella

There are a few bands that stand out when you hear them– bands you know are going to make it big–and Kongos are definitely one of them. Last Friday all those gathered in Waterplace Park for the fifth installment of WBRU’s Summer Concert Series had the opportunity to hear their unique African inspired sound live for free. Judging by all of the singing and dancing in the area, the crowd loved them. The night started off with WBRU 2012 and 2013 Rock Hunt semifinalists and rising local band, Satellites Fall, who got the large crowd moving from the start. Although they are not as well known as Kongos, they were able to keep the crowd jumping around to their music and clearly made some new fans along the way.

Next up was the headliner, Kongos. Kongos are based out of Phoenix, Arizona but first gained popularity in South Africa where the four brothers and bandmates, Dylan, Daniel, Jesse and Johnny grew up. Their first album, Lunatic, showcases a new kind of upbeat alternative rock music that just makes you want to hear more. If you haven’t heard them yet, their hit songs “Come With Me Now” and “I’m Only Joking” epitomize what their catchy sound is all about and show why they have been rising up the charts. After becoming popular in South Africa, Kongos re-released their album in the US in 2013 where it is gaining popularity just as fast.

When the Kongos hit the stage the crowd went crazy. The lucky people in the front rushed to the stage while everyone else in the crowded park stood up and fought to get a glimpse of the band. They played through the entirety of Lunatic, giving off a vibe that made the crowd move with their blend of different rock elements, hints of African rhythms and even an accordion. The Kongos knew how to work the crowd, getting all of Waterplace Park into their music quickly. Towards the end of the set the band heightened the excitement of the crowd with an interesting rendition of “Come Together” by the Beatles which even had some rapping. Finally after putting on one of the longest sets of this Summer Concert Series, the Kongos gave the crowd what they came for and finished the night off with their hit single “Come With Me Now” getting the crowd to sing with them.

This upcoming Friday, August 1, the WBRU 2014 Summer Concert Series will be coming to a close with the last two bands, Sleeper Agent, who once played at Coachella and appeared on Jimmy Fallon, and local Experimental Americana Roots rock band, The ‘Mericans. Make sure you stop by Waterplace Park early for the last free concert of the summer.

Friday, August 1 at Waterplace Park, WBRU hosts its last free concert of the summer @ 7pm.

Locale Profiles: The Port

Heading out for lunch in Newport evokes all kinds of wonderful sunny images. Sun-bleached boardwalks bordered by clinking, moored yachts. The odd blinding glimmer of sun from the calm harbor waters, and a lot of people who look as if they’ve just stepped from the pages of a Tommy Hilfiger catalog.

My Newport lunch date, however, was awash with grey skies, the odd downpour and a lot of people clad in disposable, see-through windbreakers.

Not deterred by the unseasonably mizzly weather, our date with The Port Grill and Raw Bar was calling.

After struggling to actually find the place, which is tucked into Anne Street Pier and sheltered on each side by weather-boarded wooden buildings, the calm reprieve from the stormy summer weather was most welcome.

The Port offers live entertainment Thursday to Sunday and, as such, on the afternoon we dined a very talented chap with a guitar was playing in the bar area. It could have been that the volume felt a little excessive because there were fewer people than on a normal sunny day, but having to shout to the host felt a little like being in a busy bar on a Friday night rather than a marina side restaurant on Sunday afternoon.

We were seated on the covered patio, which gave us a great view of the framed portion of marina The Port commands. Had the weather been better, the bistro tables on the brick path out front would have been the prime spot to soak up this calm little corner of Newport.

The one great thing about a damp, windy day is that it gives you carte blanche to order a pie. Creamy, puff pastry topped pies are usually not a summer staple, but today I thanked the rain gods as my eyes skimmed the menu and locked immediately on the Lobster Pie entrée.

Wanting to enjoy the full Port experience (and being incredibly greedy) we ordered up a storm of appetizers and washed it down with some chilled white wine. The wine list had a good selection of red, white and sparkling wines. Most red and white were available by the glass at a reasonable price, our glasses of Chateau St. Michelle Chardonnay were crisp, light and not overly sweet. Beer-wise there was a good selection of local drafts plus imported and domestic bottles. My only gripe was that water was served in disposable plastic cups, which, when sitting within the confines of the restaurant rather than dockside and enjoying (what would be) a $100 lunch, felt a little disappointing.

We shared a delicious Lobster Bisque, which though more of a chowder than bisque, was flavorful, creamy, piping hot and completely welcome as the rain started thundering down again. Half a dozen Prince Edward Island Oysters arrived on a platter of ice and were quickly topped with horseradish and slid from their shells. The meaty Maryland Style Crab Cake, that was impressively crabby rather than

potatoey, lighted up the appetizer rou nd with its ginger sesame seaweed and sweet chili garnish.

Service was quick and attentive from the team of plentiful staff who were all very friendly and well informed about the locality of the regional oysters and draft beers.

A short lull between courses gave time for some sneaky people watching. Though its numbers were clearly affected by the weather, the clientele included young families, a table of ladies at lunch and a number of couples in the informally divided ‘restaurant ‘ side of The Port. The bar side, with the live music, was busier with groups of friends drinking and snacking on apps or perched on stools looking out over the choppy waters of the harbor.

My people watching was cut short by the arrival of our entrees; a Port Burger, a 8oz Angus patty topped with cheddar and fried onion strings, in a Portuguese bolo. And, my pie. My pie.

From the first moment of Googling up the menu (yes I am one of those), I knew this pie and I were going to be having a moment. Beautiful coral red hunks of lobster tail, claw and knuckle meat, tucked up in a mushroom and sherry cream sauce and topped with a golden crisp puff pastry lid. Go get in the car now. Go order the pie.

Though the burger held its own in the grill stakes, the Lobster Pie and seafood appetizers were the stars of the show, and what with the harbor side location this should not have come as a surprise.

While not located on the busier stretch of America’s Cup Ave. or its connecting piers and wharfs, The Port’s location is not a detriment to enjoying a ‘Jack Wills catalog photo’ shoot day out in Newport. With a menu bursting with fresh seafood, friendly staff and a beautiful view of the harbor waters lapping at the rocky shoreline beneath your feet, The Port should certainly be a contender for your appetite when visiting Newport.

359 Thames St, Newport, 401-619-5892, www.theportnewport.com

Social Enterprise Gets to Incubatin’

Providence is, it seems, becoming an incubator for incubators. The success of organizations like BetaSpring, and the dire economic awareness that floats over much of the city, are leading to an embrace of the start-up. Long recognized, yet often little respected, as a primary driver of new jobs and financial recovery, the “start-up” now has more potential support than ever before. External Relations Director Caroline J. Mailloux, excited about plans for the Greenhouse space

You may already know about the fairly long-standing Design Center downtown, which cultivates relationships between and workspace for design professionals, freelancers and start-ups. There’s also BetaSpring, which takes an active investor/mentor role in the destinies of the start-up ventures it shepherds from its Chestnut St. location. There’s Digital City, filling its role from within AS220’s Merchantile Block as a collaborative space for cutting edge and bleeding edge digital artists and producers. There’s the Hatch, right next to PPAC, with modernist meeting spaces, hosted hackathons and a variety of start-ups. Next door is Johnson & Wales’ entrepreneurial innovation center.

The newest start-up niche to find a specialized home is the social enterprise. While social enterprise ventures may be for- or non-profit, they’re characterized by a dedication to making the world a better place in some meaningful way, and generating enough income to keep doing so. You can expect a lot of green and healthy ventures to spring forth from this new location, fittingly called the Social Enterprise Greenhouse. Their first “Build Out Benefit” took place last week, amid ring-tosses, food, drinks and other games. They are raising money to build out and repair this prime space at one corner of Davol Square, where, in RI terms, Chestnut’s Salon used to be. The organization started a few years ago and has built a broad base of involvement, evidenced by the crowd of supporters who turned out for the July 17 event. Learn more about the roughly 150 ventures the Greenhouse has helped so far, and about the upcoming incubation space at segreenhouse.org. Motif TV | Top 5 Things to do this weekend | July 31 – August 3

Making the Stage: Local open mic picks up

There is a stage in Providence looking for performers. Join the PVD Hoot for a chance to perform or sit in the audience for an opportunity to cheer on local musicians of all types.

The PVD Hoot is an open mic that makes its home at Anchor, a work-exhibition space on Rice Street in Providence.

Started by Josh Aromin and Sarah Mead in October of last year, the Hoot has embarked on a year-long venture to bring a performance space for all to the city. The performance stage has gone walkabout in an effort to become more of a “mobile mic” bringing the stage to the people who want to perform on it, and to audiences in the heart of downtown. The Hoot is using Grant’s Block to get outside, but this past Sunday, the rain moved them inside to the Providence Polaroid Project (the old Craftland location), across the street.

This collaboration between the PVD Hoot and Providence Polaroid is the only the first of many, or so hope Hoot co-founders Aromin and Mead.

“People keeping saying, ‘we need to work together,’” said Aromin. They have been looking to work with more of the projects that are part of Popup Providence initiative.

A rainy Sunday didn’t see the turn out that the Hoot usually gets. Only four people performed, two of whom are involved with the Hoot, including Aromin. When the stage is set at The Anchor, between 30 and 40 people usually show up. When the performance has been hosted at Grant’s Block they’ve drawn crowds of up to 100 people.

“We got rubberneckers,” Mead said with a smile.

The Hoot started when Aromin’s cousin, Armand Aromin, a violin-maker, moved his workspace into the Anchor. The Anchor provides free performance and exhibition space to its residents. Armand asked Josh for ideas of events to host.

“I said, ‘An open mic would be great,’” Aromin recounted. Cafes and restaurants often will host open mics, but inviting people in to perform or to watch people perform does not necessarily turn a profit, and the open mic remains secondary to the goal of establishment, namely selling food and beverages.

Aromin wanted to re-create the vibe that the erstwhile Tazza Cafe had at their open mics. When they’re at home at The Anchor, they serve free beer and coffee, donated by Narragansett brewery, and New Harvest, respectively.

“We wanted to be an open mic that just happens to have free coffee and beer,” Aromin explained.

When Aromin was set to make the open mic happen, he invited friend and co-worker Mead to help him put it on. Mead has a degree in marketing, and had experience putting on events.

“Sarah had never done an open mic before,” Aromin laughed.

But Mead took on the planning and they’ve been successfully drawing a crowd since.

“Once you’ve done the first event, you figure out what to do. Every time we do it it’s tiring, but definitely worth it,” Mead said.

Sunday’s Hoot was also a send off party, because Mead is moving back to her home state, Connecticut. Aromin sang her a song he wrote, I hope when you pass through Providence it still feels like home.

One goal of the Hoot is to expand the project to other cities, so Mead’s move signals a future for the Hoot outside Providence. Until then, the Hoot will be continuing at The Anchor until this October.

Aromin recited the Hoot’s unofficial motto, “Our stage is your stage. I don’t care what your talent level is.”

For more information visit their website at http://pvdhoot.com

You can head out (and perform) 2PM performances at Grant’s block, 5PM at The Anchor: Aug. 10 – Grant’s Block Aug. 20 – The Anchor Aug. 24 – Grant’s Block Sep. 7 – Grant’s Block Sep. 17 – The Anchor Sep. 28 – Grant’s Block

Motif TV: TOP 5 Things to do this weekend July 24 – 27 Providence Prohibition Party Brings Entertainment and Raises Awareness

Providence’s first ever official hemp festival was held on July 12 at Simon’s 667, hosted by Mike Liberty and Dave Death. Called the Providence Prohibition Party, the event drew a fun-loving and diverse crowd throughout its course, which spanned from early afternoon to the wee hours of the morning, transitioning from local indie and rock bands at the outdoor stage to an indoor EDM party. As well as music, there were beer tastings, artists and vendors selling posters and glass pipes.

While all in good fun, there was also a political undercurrent to the event – 10% of the proceeds from the day went to Regulate RI, an organization founded on the premise that marijuana prohibition has led to class and sex discrimination and does far more harm than good for the people of this state. They look forward to introducing a change to the legislation in 2015, but claim that legalizing and regulating marijuana is only the tip of the iceberg.

During one of the speeches given in between musical acts, Anne Armstrong, who is running for governor of Rhode Island, stated that pot “cures every illness” and that there is no reason why people should not have free and easy access to it. Although perhaps hyperbolic, her message was agreed with by the majority of people in attendance. Phrases such as “hemp is a beautiful product” and “what harm does it cause?!” were popular statements from party-goers. For those who support the cause, there were petitions and all the information on hemp and marijuana laws you could need available.

The first Providence Prohibition Party was a great success, and hopefully 2015 will bring some movement in the cause!

Catch Hay Fever at 2nd Story Theatre The second show in rep for the summer at 2nd Story Theatre in Warren is Noel Coward’s Hay Fever. Set in the 1920s, the comedic romp about the eccentricities of theater folk was written by Coward as a kind of affectionate tribute to the families with whom he spent so much time. This is exactly the sort of fare seasonal summer theater-goers are looking for.

In Hay Fever, the Bliss family, more stewed than steeped in the traditions of the theater, is enjoying a weekend at their country house, and each has a guest. The cottage is a grand, elegant place. It is the same set used for And Then There Were None, but specialized lighting allows for a different tone and affect. Although I love new work and appreciate the stripped down stages used by many smaller theaters, it is nice now and again to see a fully dressed stage, real mood lighting, and detailed, period costumes. Proper kudos goes to Marc Tiberius II (lighting design), Karl Pelletier (set design) and Ron Cesario (costume design) who have created a feast for the eyes this summer. The beginning of Act Two is a particular delight when all the gentlemen appear in tuxedos, having dressed for dinner.

Joanne Fayan as Judith Bliss commands the stage and the spotlight continuously. Judith Bliss is an aging theater diva, just retired from the stage, and will stop at nothing to be the center of attention. Her novelist husband, David, played with a sexually ambiguous affectation by John Michael Richardson, supports her endeavors, when not strutting around begging for his own morsel of attention. The grown children, Sorel Bliss (Rachel Nadeau) and Simon Bliss (Patrick Mark Saunders), are a reflection of their mother – both drama queens and generally ill-behaved. Billed as a comedy of manners, Hay Fever plays more like a contest of outrageous behavior.

Joanne as Judith Bliss is larger than life, enacting great bits to elicit laughter and applause from the audience. At one point she performs a dance interpretation. Fayan is brilliant as she rolls on the floor, twirls about and uses her scarf more than her body for movement. Richardson and Saunders as father and son Bliss are also independently outrageous, each absorbed in his own character. Unfortunately, Nadeau as Sorel seems amateurish and unfocused, not really sure of her character’s intent. In fact, there are what seem to be a few lapses in direction. Director Ed Shea is usually the task-master. Perhaps this time he left too much to the actors. While we accept that the Bliss family argues a lot, the fights come off a bit too acerbic, nearly derailing the production.

The supporting actors are quite fine, although it may seem easier to play the straight man; with this family one never knows what is going to happen next. Sandy Tyrell (Brendan Macera) arrives invited by Judith, but is seduced by Sorel. Myron Arundel (David Sackal) comes in as the obvious object of Simon’s affection, totally comfortable with his character. He and Saunders have a great bit of physical comedy. Richard Greatham (Nicholas Thibeault) and Jackie Coryton (Amy Thompson) arrive together by chance. Both are clearly professional and comfortable on stage and they look like caricatures, he the tall, handsome, square-shouldered man and she the quiet, doll-like woman. Poor Miss Coryton finds herself mortified and nearly married to Simon. How did that happen?

Hay Fever continues in rep at 2nd Story Theatre in Warren through August 31. Check website for times and ticket prices: 2ndstorytheatre.com or call the box office at 401-247-4200, or email [email protected]. Jared Paul: The Underground Voice of Providence

By Melanie Rainone

Jared Paul is a poetic and musical powerhouse that calls Providence home. As a nationally acclaimed spoken word poet and hip-hop artist, he draws his inspiration from social injustices and fuses his two art forms together to create something unique and powerful.

Jared’s upbringing and early introduction to hip-hop took him on a journey that introduced him to poetry, community action, and national activism. He has become a radical and artistic voice of Providence, bringing the culture of poetry, working with the youth and community at large with a little rabble rousing thrown in.

“Hip-hop is poetry. Hip-hop is the continuation of the oral tradition. It’s poetry put to music. The rhyme scheme, the meter, the metaphor, hip hop is the first music that was more about poetry than it was about music.”

Jared grew up in the Manville neighborhood of Lincoln. “I grew up below the poverty line in terms of the state’s eyes, but both of my parents loved me a tremendous amount and I had a really great childhood. We always had all of the things that we needed and most of the things that we wanted.”

Jared has fond memories of Manville, speaking of a strong community and many children his age with whom to play. “We had to see from a very young age the real time class divide.”

It was in this environment that Jared found music.“My friend Joey gave me Public Enemy at the bus stop in 7th grade and it changed everything for me,” he explained.

“They had all of these powerful songs about life, and about a lot of the same things we were going through or that our friends or family were going through. From that moment on it was our main music, and a main influence in our lives: it informed us, inspired us, picked us up when we were down, gave our anger validation.” It is hard to tell the story of Jared without mentioning Sage Francis. Francis is a hip-hop artist and spoken word poet from Rhode Island whom Jared credits with his introduction to poetry and political action.

Jared and Sage met as students at URI, but Sage’s influence on Jared as an artist began long before the two ever became friends. The copy of Public Enemy that Jared got from his friend Joey at the busstop, the album that Jared says started it all, had been given to Joey by his older brother, who had gotten it from Sage Francis.

“He was my friend, but he was also kind of like a superhero: he was an amazing performer, his writing was better than anyone we knew, he was a black belt in karate, he had a kickass hip-hop show on [URI’s radio station, WRIU] 90.3FM, he had a full beard, and could easily beat up a grown man.”

It was Sage that brought Jared to his first poetry reading at URI. “All these teenagers relatively sober with informed opinions on politics, music, life. Reading poems and songs about love, loss, struggle, the military, sex, poetry, culture. Everything. I didn’t know anything like that existed … I had the opposite of a nervous breakdown, I had a nervous awakening.”

Jared became involved in the Providence slam poetry scene in 1998. It took him three years to make the team, but the year he did coincided with the National Poetry Slam being hosted in Providence. He was a part of Team Providence for the next seven years. During that time, Providence made it to the semi-finals at Nationals five times, and Jared made it to finals stage at the Individual World Poetry Slam in 2006 and again in 2007.

But Jared sensed that an outlet for adults was not enough. In 2002, Jared made a proposal to the Providence Slam staff to start a youth poetry slam. “I knew that youth of Prov were hungry for it, and the movement was growing around the country,” said Jared. He coached and directed the Providence Youth Slam until 2009, during which time they made it to the finals stage three times and were featured on HBO’s series Brave New Voices. “Team Providence became one of the most respected youth slam teams and communities in the country and folks gave us a lot of love,” Jared said. “Coaching and working with the youth, was easily one of the best experiences of my life.”

Jared’s work with Rhode Island youth extended beyond poetry. “I wanted to work somewhere in the overall movement for social justice,” he said. A friend of his was a group home counselor and referred Jared to a non-profit. “They recruited me for a specialized program working with teen sex offenders and sex crime survivors,” he said. “It was the hardest, most eye opening, educational, enraging, and spiritually damaging work I’ve ever done.” He worked there for four years until he began touring full time. For anyone familiar with Jared’s work, it is fueled by passion about social injustice. He does work as an environmental, animal, and human rights activist, causes that are the main subject matter for his poetry and music. His poem entitled “Conspiracy to Riot: 2008 RNC Arrest Story Pt. 1” tells the story of Jared’s arrest for felony riot at the Republican National Convention in 2008. This was not the first time Jared found himself in trouble with the law, after being part of the mass arrest that happened during the 2004 RNC. This past January, it was announced that New York City agreed to pay nearly $18 million for the arrest, detention, and fingerprinting of hundreds, making it the largest protest settlement in history.

After all of his national recognition and success, the question remains: why Providence? “For such a tiny city we have a crazy arts and music scene, and a super strong counter culture,” he said. “There are protests every week, there’s an organized radical labor contingent, one of the strongest, most tenured poetry communities in the country.” Jared currently lives in Providence as a part of the AS220 Artists in Residence program, describing AS220 as an internationally recognized beacon of hope.

“The time I set aside for direct action goes to picketing with hotel workers in my neighborhood at the Renaissance and the Hilton as they fight for fair wages and better working conditions.” He also volunteers with the Providence Poetry Slam and participates in protests and hearings organized by Occupy providence and the Olneyville Neighborhood Association.

Aside from his activism work here in Rhode Island, Jared is working on various upcoming poetry and music projects. “Right now I’m working on my book and a brand new album, so my focus is there,” he said. Jared’s first book (title to be determined) is due to be released in the spring of 2015. He describes it as a collection of poetry, autobiographical short stories, and personal essays about traveling, protesting, and social justice organizing.

CLEAN MACHINE by Jared Paul

Biking to my father’s house after dark, making good time. Providence flies past and I’m already crossing into Pawtucket.

There’s hardly any traffic and the night air is soft and cool. The speckled sky brightens the further I ride from downtown.

After pedaling nonstop for twenty minutes, Main Street turns into Lonsdale Avenue and a glorious downhill begins.

Nearly a mile with the wind at my back and gravity on my side. As I pick up momentum, cars, trees, and buildings blur together.

The bray of advancing motorcycle engines sparks up from behind. Fifteen men on sportsbikes pull close, begin passing on the left.

Accelerators rev in a rush of piercing headlights and neon plastic.

My ears recoil as they roar by— I nod, waiting until the road is mine again.

The last rider to pass reaches out and gives my raised bottom a playful pat. I look over in surprise, he winks.

Someday, you’ll be man enough for one of these, his eyes seems to say. He hits the gas with a blaring whine of the engine, races to catch the others.

Their tail lights disappear around a corner and off into the distance. The night is quiet once more but a heavy curtain of burnt exhaust remains.

I’m given to a moment of flatulence and the gas eases out behind me. I whiff but there is nothing there to smell.

The sportsbikers have helmets and I have a helmet. They have two wheels and I have two wheels but my bicycle runs quietly on quinoa and kale, and the exhaust is clean as a whistle.

Dinosaur Jr. Brings the Raw, Brutal Power of Rock & Roll The original lineup of Dinosaur Jr. came through a packed Met last Friday to pump some loud guitar music into the veins of local residents. Consisting of guitarist J.Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow, and drummer Murph, the band pioneered a high-octane, guitar- heavy sound in the mid-80s that was a precursor to the grunge explosion of the 90s. The show was originally supposed to be headlined by King Buzzo of the Melvins, but in a fortuitous turn of events, Dinosaur was added to the bill, turning this show into one of the concert events of the summer.

The band split in the late in the late ’90s, but the original lineup mended their famously fractured relationship in the mid-2000s and hit the ground running, making new music. And unlike many of their contemporaries, their new material has held up compared to the band’s golden age.

The show was kicked off by solo guitarist Mary Halveston, whose solo set included a number of diverse pieces. She incorporated elements of jazz, classical and distorted rock riffs to create a unique sound to effectively build the anticipation.

Buzz Osborne, a.k.a King Buzzo, frontman of metal legends The Melvins, took his turn next. Armed with just an acoustic guitar, he performed a mix of songs from his new album, This Machine Kills Artists and old Melvins tunes. There are few people who could command a room with just an acoustic guitar and vocals; his songs employed the punishing, down-tuned doom riffs he’s known for, and his voice boomed so loudly that even the people drinking outside were forced to take notice.

Dinosaur kicked off their set with the last thing I expected to hear: “Bulbs of Passion,” the first track from their debut album Dinosaur, which contrasts quiet, ambient verses with distorted, metal choruses aided by Barlow’s screaming. It was a good way to punish the audience’s ears right off the bat.

Dinosaur Jr. is the loudest band I’ve ever seen, by a considerable margin. The stage was dominated by Mascis’ three full Marshall stacks, which, as you can probably imagine, make the guitar’s volume deafening. And, of course, the volume of the other instruments has to be increased to compete, so the whole thing just ends up being ludicrously, gloriously loud.

There are some who may be thinking: That’s totally absurd! Why would anyone need three full stacks? But I say the more stacks the better! The heightened sensitivity of a lot of today’s indie music is great and all, but sometimes it’s great to just sit back and bask in the raw, brutal power of rock & roll.

J. Mascis has admitted outright that their songs are pretty much “just build up to the guitar solo,” and watching the master at work is the best part about their live show. He just stands there, hardly even changing his facial expressions while his fingers skate around the neck, creating roaring, distorted madness like only he can. The other members are no slouches either; Barlow frantically strummed his Rickenbacker Lemmy-style, and Murph’s blazing-fast fills were as clean as ever.

You’re Living All Over Me, which came out in 1987 and is thought by many to be their best album, was very well represented in the set, with songs like “The Lung,” “Raisins,” “Tarpit,” “In a Jar,” and their cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.” The band also tore through their ’90s radio hits “Start Choppin” and “Feel the Pain” and post-reunion singles “Pieces” and “Watch the Corners.” The band even brought it back to the early ’80s, playing a song called “Training Ground” by Barlow and Mascis’s hardcore band Deep Wound that’s “about how school sucks.” The highlight had to be their encore, the fan favorite “SludgeFeast,” with the crowd going into circle pit frenzy.

My only complaint: It’s great that the band regularly plays the crowd-pleasers, but they seem to cycle through the same songs during every show. With such a large catalog, Dino could really expand their setlists into something a little more comprehensive.

The concert may have killed a few brain cells, but it was totally worth it to see a band that is showing no signs of slowing down.