Bob Mould @ Varsity Theater

(photo courtesy of Stacy Schwartz)

Bob Mould has one of the most distinct and unmistakable voices in rock music. And that voice, as well as the strength and durability of his songwriting, was on full display at the packed Varsity Theater on Monday night, as Bob thrilled the audience with an engaging, career-spanning set. Taking the stage with just an acoustic guitar, Mould was joined for the duration of the set by bassist Jason Narducy from the band Verbow, for whom Bob has done some production work in the past. After all the years spent in the midst of a wall of discord, it still must be an adjustment for Mould to have such sparse accompaniment to his songs, and occasionally he would instinctively look over his shoulder to keep time with a drummer who, for this evening at least, was not there. But the stark set up served his songs quite well on this night, for his voice sounded excellent, and remained the focus all evening, while the unadorned arrangements allowed all in attendance to hear how indomitable his songs truly are.

(photo courtesy of Stacy Schwartz)

While taking the stage, Mould cracked the first, albeit unintentional, joke of the evening when he announced “I’m Bob Mould” to an audience that knew damn well who he was. It was a somewhat self-effacing way to start a show that would continue to build in significance as the night drew on. “Wishing Well” kicked things off nicely, with the line “There’s a price to pay for your dreams to come true” resonating well with the somewhat older audience who are all too aware of the truth in that statement. The song segued well into a version of “Hear Me Calling” that Mould completely carried with his voice, as the song was stripped of the driving beat of the original. At this point Mould complimented the Varsity Theater, asking the audience if he’s ever played here before and how long the theater has been around. When a bunch of contrary answers came back at him from the crowd, he joked “You tell me, I’m serious. I don’t remember. I don’t live here anymore. This is a really nice room though.” He did receive confirmation that it was indeed his first time playing the Varsity, and hopefully it will not be his last, since the room really suits his current sound and set up.

(photo courtesy of Stacy Schwartz)

“Hoover Dam” proved to be the first of three Sugar songs in the set, and the soaring chorus brought me back to my freshman year in college, where listening to Copper Blue on high volume in my dorm room helped me make some fast friends. And that’s what the show became about for me as the show progressed (especially after he played a fantastic version of “Your Favorite Thing”), the power of Mould’s vocals and his brilliant songwriting ability that continues to thrive, based on the strength of his new record Life And Times. After joking about his glasses, saying that “I don’t feel old, but there’s nothing I can do about my eyes. Without my glasses, I couldn’t see what I’m supposed to play next” he played an impassioned version of “The Silence Between Us” that demonstrated the high caliber of his recent output.

(photo courtesy of Stacy Schwartz)

The show held an underlying significance that Mould made note of, mentioning that it was exactly 30 years ago that Hüsker Dü played their first show, at the long defunct Ron’s Randolph Inn in St. Paul, joking that “You gotta start somewhere.” But even more significant to Mould was the fact that 2009 marks the 20th Anniversary of his brilliant debut solo record Workbook, which he remains intensely proud of, and he proved it by playing five songs from that record in the first nine songs of the set, including a stirring three song selection that proved to be one of the major highlights of the night. Beginning with a stellar version of “Poison Years,” he continued on with “Sinners and their Repentances” and finished the triumvirate with a brilliant rendition of “Brasilia Crossed With Trenton” that simply floored me with it’s fervency. It was phenomenal.

(photo courtesy of Stacy Schwartz)

It would be tough for most musicians to not have a let down after such a rousing run of songs, but luckily Mould has a back catalog most artists would kill for, and this was a perfect moment to play the first Hüsker Dü song of the night, Candy Apple Grey’s “Hardly Getting Over It.” It was a lovely acoustic arrangement of the classic, and Bob’s voice added a depth to the song acquired through years of proving the validity of his candid lyrics. Next came a string of songs from Life And Times, the stellar title track, “The Breach” and a wonderful version of “I’m Sorry, Baby, But You Can’t Stand In My Light Anymore,” which he introduced by saying “This is the best song I’ve written in forever.” He was being a bit harsh towards his recent material (which “Again and Again” and “Circles” proved), but it really is a superb song.

(photo courtesy of Stacy Schwartz)

The main set closed with two tracks from Hüsker Dü’s New Day Rising, “I Apologize” and an exquisite “Celebrated Summer” that would have been even more meaningful if it didn’t still feel like Winter outside. And after coming back out for an encore, Mould took a moment to address the enthusiastic audience, saying “I should probably say something profound right now, but I’ll just thank you for hanging in with me through the crazy times” before launching into a rousing version of “If I Can’t Change Your Mind.” And, after another nod to his illustrious past with Flip Your Wig’s “Makes No Sense At All,” he was off with a smile and a wave to the adoring crowd. The set was a pleasant mix of the old and new in Bob Mould’s catalog, and was a perfect example of not only why we started listening to him in the first place, but why we are “hanging in with him” and still paying attention after all these years.

(photo courtesy of Stacy Schwartz)

Setlist:
Wishing Well
Hear Me Calling
Hoover Dam
See A Little Light
The Silence Between Us
Your Favorite Thing
Poison Years
Sinners and their Repentences
Brasilia Crossed With Trenton
Hardly Getting Over It
Life and Times
The Breach
I’m Sorry, Baby, But You Can’t Stand In My Light Anymore
Again and Again
Circles
I Apologize
Celebrated Summer
If I Can’t Change Your Mind (encore)
Makes No Sense At All (encore)

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