Live Review: Mudhoney, Feedtime

Seattle grunge pioneers Mudhoney were on fire playing a blistering show at the OAF on Wednesday during a victory lap of the country in support of their BDO appearances. Notorious Aussie anti-punk outfit feedtime were in support. The two bands played deep sets, dragging out some classic cuts that played to their strengths as left-of-centre purveyors of loud noise.
Sydney band feedtime (“small f; it just looks better”) had to quit the scene in '89 to avoid meltdowns. It's alleged their fan base and their lifestyle (something they claim full responsibility for) were getting too much, and they disbanded right before they were set to take off. Sub Pop groups like Mudhoney and Nirvana have cited feedtime as crucial to their creative development, with styles like slide guitar rubbing off on the young protégés.
They played a great set, with Rick's voice sounding like a bag of stones being dragged over concrete, rumbling over deep, thundering two-chord arrangements. Their compressed garage/metal hybrid sound pushed things along, generating a great atmosphere and cutting right through the usual pre-show jostling and chatting. It was primal.
Mark Arm was quick to thank them up front as soon as Mudhoney took the stage, in true Seattle fashion (that scene's initial sense of community has rarely been matched). They launched into Slipping Away from 2012's Vanishing Point (the bulk of the set was made up of this one) and slid into I Like It Small, a snarling gem. Suck You Dry saw the energy in the room peak, with the crowd getting loose and pinball-ing around. Side note: why are stage divers always the bigger guys?
My Brother The Cow got a look in with 1995 and a few others, and Touch Me I'm Sick got a great response. The band was tight, and guitarist Steve Turner never plays a shit show, but their usual mischievous unpredictability seemed muted.
Oh, and let's have some (absolute lack of) sympathy for the twat who wouldn't stop screaming out for Poison Water. They didn't play it. Again.