Dopes to Infinity and beyond…
Words by Jason Guest
The Space Lord himself has landed in the second city to deliver a Sunday sermon on sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll and to teach us all how to dance and how to fly. And dopes to infinity and beyond, the crowd welcomes Wyndorf and co. to the stage with all the fervour of the devout determined to derive as much delight from this evening’s delectable decadence as they can. Psychedelic space tripping lyrics wrapped around 60s garage rock and stoner rock chops the size of a dinosaur vacuum, with enough classics in the band’s extensive oeuvre, Wyndorf and co. have plenty to choose from and plenty to satisfy this avid audience.
Like a lean, psychedelic garage rock making machine from the planet bog bollocks, Wyndorf and co.’s hit us with ‘Dopes To Infinity’, a classic that’s fresh as it is potent with ‘Radiation Day’ lifting the crowd ever higher. But relax – as the gods told us – because while we’re up there, ‘Powertrip’ – equipped with that timeless middle-finger raising chorus – is about to fix us up right. Yep, Wyndorf’s got the crowd in his hand. And with a new album on the horizon, being asked if we’re ready for a new song may as well be rhetorical. ‘Mindfucker’, a short burst of psych-infused rock that is the band’s trademark, goes down a storm, further evidence that Monster Magnet’s potency isn’t about to wane any time soon. And with ‘Medicine’, ‘Look To Your Orb For The Warning’, ‘Twin Earth’ and ‘I Want More’, neither is this crowd. And ramping up the LSD-infused Hawkwind atmospherics with ‘Dinosaur Vacuum’ and ‘Brainstorm’ blending into the psychedelic dreamscape of ‘Spine Of God’, the kaleidoscopic light show merges with the Doors-like desert sands of this epic track for a mind-bending 8-or-so minutes. Interspersing the track with Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’, we are temporarily brought back to earth before the band leave us amid a swirling wave of undulating feedback and heads full of haze, the purple kind, naturally – or synthetically, if you like… Of course, ‘Negasonic Teenage Warhead’ is first encore and the crowd are singing every word as they make their way down to the drug farm for a ride on the ‘Tractor’. And with ‘Space Lord’ to finish the evening off, the crowd sing ‘Space Lord Mother F**ker’ at the tops of their voices.
With long-time guitarist, co-producer and indoor sunglasses wearer Phil Caivano stage left, bassist Chris Kosnik guitarist Garrett Sweeny stage right, and ‘Bill Sabbath’ t-shirted drummer Bob Pantella driving from behind, sleeveless leather jacket and Maggot Brain t-shirt-wearing Wyndorf is in fine voice, his stage presence commanding and his performance exuding an energetic cool. A night that will not be forgotten any time soon, “I’m never gonna work another day in my life” we sang as we spilled out on to the Sunday streets of the second city. Damn right! Just a shame it’s Monday tomorrow…
Set list:
- Dopes To Infinity
- Radiation Day
- Powertrip
- Mindfucker
- Medicine
- Look To Your Orb For The Warning
- Twin Earth
- I Want More
- Dinosaur Vacuum / Brainstorm
- Spine Of God / American Pie
Encore:
- Negasonic Teenage Warhead
- Tractor
- Space Lord
