If there's a superior example of concise, unforced pop-rock than The Lemonheads' 1992 album It's A Shame About Ray, it's yet to grace this reviewer's stereo.
If there's an inferior setting for Evan Dando and co's live gambol through said record than the auditorium at Oran Mor, this reviewer has yet to visit it.
From the minute Dando brushes aside his guitar tech to perform an introductory Being Around, the oft-painted chaos merchant's voice is lost to frequencies which are soothing to the human ear. Not entirely, mind – while more limited than in his 1990s heyday, Dando's woody baritone is too honeyed to succumb to even the poorest mix – yet much of its potency is lost to the vast vaulted space above.
No matter. On troop his bass player and drummer, and the trio thump their way through Ray, the fizzy mush of sound failing to mask the goosebump wonder of songs such as Confetti, Rudderless and My Drug Buddy. Like these, Dando appears unscathed by age, still the gawky yet handsome blue-eyed dude who kinda, sorta came up with an enviable catalogue of melodic vignettes.
Once Ray is wrapped up – it only takes 30-odd minutes – Dando performs both solo and with his band, the likes of Into Your Arms and The Great Big No retaining their poise despite the brute force bestowed on them by the environment (not to mention the frontman's twin Marshall stacks – a simple case of overkill).
Tonight Evan Dando proves he still ranks alongside Paul Westerberg and Robert Pollard in the pantheon of American outsiders. Had he been afforded more sympathetic surroundings, this would have been a five-star performance, no question. Shame.
HHHH
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