The legendary Bob Mould took the stage at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium as part of the city’s annual Noise Pop Music and Arts Festival. Fans seemed to trickle in slowly as openers Film School kicked things off but by the time Bob’s set time rolled closer, it venue was near-capacity.
Clearly not a man for easing into things, Mould speed-walked onto stage without a hint of foreplay where his tech met him half way to the mic stand with his Strat at which point the show was officially on. Pushing his late 50s, Bob was as energetic as someone a fraction of his age as he spun his way around the stage while shredding on “The War,” all without missing a note.
With nothing on stage besides three guys and their instruments, the starkness of the production highlighted the sonic blast filling the room. It was loud and raw and simply mind-blowing. There’s an easy path for a guy like Mould … pick up an acoustic guitar and slow it all down. That is certainly not something that he seemed to have been considered for this tour. In fact, anyone who has given his excellent 2019 release Sunshine Rock a spin would have had a pretty good idea of what would be in store for the evening.
Not surprisingly, the setlist drew heavily from Sunshine Rock but also spent a considerable time exploring Mould’s epic catalog. With a healthy dose of Hüsker Dü and Sugar tunes rounding out the set, it’s hard to think of any word to describe the setlist other than “perfect.”
The frenetic pace from the first notes didn’t let up throughout the entire 90+ minute set. Mould paused briefly a few times to introduce the title track off the new record as well as the band, but other than that the set was a balls-out frenzy that somehow managed to pack in a whopping 26 songs before the band finally called it a night.
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Bob Mould
FILM SCHOOL
Film School
Film School
Film School
Film School
Film School
Film School
Film School
Film School
SETLIST
The War
A Good Idea (Sugar)
I Apologize (Hüsker Dü)
Hoover Dam (Sugar)
Stand Guard
See a Little Light
Sunny Love Song
I Don’t Know You Anymore
The Descent
Thirty Dozen Roses
The Final Years
Sinners and Their Repentances
In a Free Land (Hüsker Dü)
Sunshine Rock
Hey Mr. Grey
If I Can’t Change Your Mind (Sugar)
I Fought
Sin King
Lost Faith
Celebrated Summer (Hüsker Dü)
Something I Learned Today (Hüsker Dü)
Chartered Trips (Hüsker Dü)
New Day Rising (Hüsker Dü)
ENCORE
Never Talking to You Again (Hüsker Dü song)
Love Is All Around (Sonny Curtis cover)
Makes No Sense At All (Hüsker Dü)
