Dinosaur Jr, Brooklyn Bowl, gig review: J Mascis' drawl remains timeless

J Mascis commands rock relic respect with his mop of silver wizard's hair and trademark slacker's jeans.

Frontman of one of the most influential trios in alt rock’s early 90s uprising, he has little left to prove.

Dinosaur Jr’s turbulent past is well-documented, but as the band launch into “Bulbs of Passion”, Mascis' timeless drawl is solid as ever.

From the off, Lou Barlow's chugging guitar and Murph's pounding drums provide a storming, clenched fist rhythm that masterfully offsets his understated vocals.

"Out There" draws cheers from the sold-out Brooklyn Bowl, as Mascis' howl reveals the sensitivity lurking beneath those ear-splintering guitars.

Pace shifts add drama to "Feel the Pain" as angsty lyrics become clearer amid the injected feedback Dinosaur Jr are famed for.

The band prefer to let their extensive repertoire speak for itself; on-stage banter is all but non-existent.

Regardless, the likes of “Watch the Corners” and seminal hit "Freak Scene" convince any doubters that this gig is about one thing: noise, and loud noise at that.

“I ain’t telling you goodbye”, Mascis vows in “Start Choppin’”, before a ballsy take on The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” reminds us that three decades since they first formed, Dinosaur Jr are far from extinct, but alive and kicking "past it" snarls to the dust.