Old Men at Rock Shows Part II

Where two men in their 40s (ahem) see bands reunite and play together with members who are in their 50s and 60s.

War on Women, Slomosa, and Helmet at the Paradise, Boston

Ugh. Parking in Boston. This is why old men like us dislike going to shows. Something as trivial as parking looms large when you are traveling over an hour and guiltily spending money on yourself.

But the rock gods were shining down upon us because we happened in a spot that stopped being checked after 6pm. It said ti right on the parking meter. I looked twice to ensure I was reading it correctly.

Side note: Where do new people learn about a band like Helmet? They’ve been around forever and release an album every few years. But like, I heard about them on the radio and through friends. Are algorithms promoting 30-year-old alternative rock? Or time so flattened that any new-to-you music is cool, as long as you like the sound. Does it no longer matter that this music is technically old enough to drink (older in some cases)?

Paige Hamilton — lead singer and guitarist, only constant member — said they started in 1990. I remember their second album, “In the Meantime,” when it came out in 1992. The riffs were so heavy and syncopated. It wasn’t grunge, it wasn’t metal, it was certainly alternative because you didn’t know what else to call it. Looking back, it was closer to hardcore but it went mainstream and got radio play due to the heavier sound of grunge that broke through.

All in all, great show. Paige’s voice is gravelly now and lower. He doesn’t try to go high and scream, but the riffs are undeniable. This was their 30th Anniversary of the album “Betty” tour. If I din’t feel old before, I certainly did after realizing the age of that album and the crick in my neck after head banging all night.

The played the Betty album start to finish, complete with Hawaiian guitar interlude and the strange tin-can sound of the last song. Then they went right into some stuff from Aftertaste and Meantime, closing with “In the Meantime.” They even played “Just Another Victim” and their Bjork cover of “Army of Me.”

Slomosa

So good to see this band from Norway. Such a great but simple sound. Heavy, riffy, with higher-octave vocals that cut through the solid wall of guitar. The songs are sing-along, too, which is rare with this type of music. No screaming, no growling. Straight ahead rock that sounds a bit new.