Now that I’ve posted Nine Inch Nails, I’ve got to do the same for openers The Jesus & Mary Chain, who’ve been supporting NIN on the “Cold and Black and Infinite” tour. It only seems fair. And if J&MC do anything crazy for tomorrow’s final Los Angeles date, I’ll add another post.
It’s interesting that J&MC are supporting Trent and co. this time around. Because back when “Pretty Hate Machine” debuted, NIN was the opener for these Scots when they played the now-defunct Universal Amphitheatre back in 1990. Guess it all comes full circle.
Like NIN, I’ve seen J&MC many times, particularly in the last few years. And first off, it’s great to see them having a resurgence. They all but disappeared for awhile. Then in 2012, I happened to catch them at a horse racing track in Inglewood, at perhaps one of the strangest concert venues ever. They were great then, but they deserved better. Three years later, they followed that up with the “Psychocandy” tour, performing their seminal debut album in its entirety. And then last year, we got a brand new album, “Damage and Joy,” their first in 19 years.
J&MC have come a long way from the drunken fuzzed-out feedback frenzies of their early days. They’re a tighter, cleaner, more streamlined unit, definitely more mature and genuinely enjoying the live performance. They can still bring the loudness with the appropriate levels of distortion. But these days, they seem in control, rather than the other way around. Both have their advantages, yet their current state suits them.
As openers, they kept their set under an hour, which is actually perfect for them. Their songs are short, so they can cram a lot in there. And when they need to go long, like the sprawling “Reverence,” there’s space to do so. Frontman Jim Reid’s vocals still sound tip-top, and brother William remains in control of the noise.
J&MC started their set with the classic “Just Like Honey.” Although I miss the persistent feedback that used to underline this track, this one still brings back fond memories.
The Jesus & Mary Chain perform “Just Like Honey” @ the Hollywood Palladium on 12.07.18.
They performed acouple of newer ones from “Damage and Joy,” like the groovy surf-rock number “All Things Pass.”
The Jesus & Mary Chain perform “All Things Pass” @ the Hollywood Palladium on 12.07.18,
The 1989 classic “Head On” was in there, which most still mistakenly credit to The Pixies. Don’t get me wrong, their cover version is great. But J&MC did it first.
The Jesus & Mary Chain perform “Head On” @ the Hollywood Palladium on 12.07.18.
And they played “Teenage Lust” and “Reverence” from 1992’s “Honey’s Dead.”
The Jesus & Mary Chain perform “Teenage Lust” @ the Hollywood Palladium on 12.07.18.
The Jesus & Mary Chain perform “Reverence” @ the Hollywood Palladium on 12.07.18.
J&MC also gave us a few other classics, like “Some Candy Talking” and “April Skies.” But sometimes I just enjoy the live experience, rather than constantly filming everything with a crappy iPhone. Plus, it’s kinda taxing on the arms. Maybe I’ll grab some of those others tomorrow night. Until then, enjoy what’s here.

