A squeal of feedback heralded “Super Unison,” serving as signifier to Drive Like Jehu’s art-punk aesthetic: dissonant riffs from guitarists John Reis and Rick Froberg, roiling rhythms from Mark Trombino and Mike Kennedy, and Froberg’s screeching rasp.
The last time Reis and Froberg performed together at Fun Fun Fun Fest was in 2011 with the similarly inclined Hot Snakes. Plus Reis appeared in 2009 and 2014 in the Night Marchers and Rocket From the Crypt, respectively. Those proved palate cleansers compared to this performance.
Working loud/soft dynamics more violently than the average Nineties alt-rocker, the San Diego foursome attacked its tunes with a fury born as much of joy as desperation. Reis manipulated feedback and distortion like a preacher shaping his flock, making his gear sometimes sound like an out-of-control theremin, sometimes like a concrete mixer in full chew. Froberg, his voice deepened over time, came off as less unhinged than merely wild-eyed, giving his absurdist lyrics a controlled urgency.
Whether on epics “Do You Compute” and “Sinews” or more concise statements “Bullet Train to Vegas” and “Human Interest,” the pair’s axes didn’t so much clash as carry on simultaneous monologues about the same topic. The set ended by barreling through the monstrous “Luau,” Reis using his amp head as a slide and accidentally tossing his Les Paul onstage after a failed body spin. The band simply stopped playing and waved goodbye – no point in an exclamation point when a period works just as well.
This article appears in November 6 • 2015.