This year was the first time the Vaselines ever played Boston. Yes, 2010. Does that seem weird? It does, but it makes perfect sense considering the band never even played in the US before July 2008.
After an 18 year absence, the Vaselines got back together in early 2008. Their former last performance as the Vaselines was opening for Nirvana in 1990, which was already a reunion show given that the band broke up initially in 1989.
Like the Meat Puppets, the Vaselines are probably mentioned most often in sentences that also feature the name "Kurt Cobain." He claimed the Vaselines as his favorite band on several occasions, and even went so far to name his daughter after member Frances McKee. The three Vaselines songs Nirvana covered, "Son of a Gun," "Molly's Lips," and "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" remain the band's most popular songs, and are among their greatest achievements. For me in particular "Son of a Gun" is the perfect pop song, and easily one of my favorite songs of all-time. With this side note in mind, there were some odd Nirvana worship at moments (chants of NIRVANA! after Jesus Wants Me..) yet this night was all about the Vaselines, as it should have been.
Though obviously no longer a couple, Eugene and Frances still have wonderful on stage chemistry, with ample audience banter. I can't think of a show I've been to where the audience laughed more than this one. The band sounded fantastic live, like no time at all had passed from the initial recordings. Mixed in with their classic material were songs from their new album Sex with an X, which fit in perfectly and never brought the energy down. There's some truly excellent songs on the new album, and they were really brought to life live. If the Vaselines come to your area, seriously do not miss them. They are a treasure.
Below is the link to the recording. As always the quality is good, but far from what you'd get on a site like NYCtaper. My gear just isn't that good. Nearly every song has some audience banter after it, so look forward to that. I especially like the post-"Monsterpussy" talk. Also noteworthy is a concert goer vs. concert goer altercation directly following "Dum-Dum." You will hear the sentence "DO NOT GO ON THE FUCKING STAGE THAT'S RUDE!" Yikes.
The Vaselines - Live at the Paradise - 10-5-10
Setlist:
Oliver Twisted
Monsterpussy
I Hate the 80's
The Day I Was A Horse
Sex with an X
Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
The Devil's Inside Me
Molly's Lips
Whitechapel
Slushy
Let's Get Ugly
Son of a Gun
No Hope
Rory Rides Me Raw
Ruined
Mouth to Mouth
Dying for it
Encore:
You Think You're A Man
Dum-Dum
