The Jesus Lizard

After a 10 year "retirement", The Jesus Lizard is back on the road. I saw the show last night at Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza. I never really followed the band in the early 90's. My attention was drawn more toward the likes of Nirvana, a band that I believe shares a lot in common with TJL including a producer, Steve Albini. In fact, rumor has it that TJL was a favorite band of Kurt Cobain's and that he once refused to follow a TJL performance insisting that Nirvana play first. I loved show last night. The original grunge, post-punk. The music was fast and hard and surprisingly groovy, and, David Yow crowd surfed during virtually ever number. After a summer of Dirty Projectors, Wild Beasts, Yeasayers, and Grizzly Bears (all bands I adore by the way), it was nice to get back -- way back -- to something as raw and rocking as TJL. I never did get to see Nirvana live, amazingly since I've seen The Stooges, Pearl Jam, The Breeders, the Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins et al.. However, after last night's performance, I feel like I may have seen the next best thing.