The Melvins End Escape from L.A. Tour in Los Angeles - The Review

Standing under The Echo’s famous disco ball setup, a sold-out crowd packed as close to the stage as possible in anticipation of the main act. And this wasn’t just any main act we were waiting for, this was the Melvins in a much more intimate setting than their legacy would suggest.

Ironically, Los Angeles was the final city on the Melvins’ Escape from L.A. Tour which also featured artist and producer Toshi Kasai and alternative rock band Redd Kross as guest acts.

Toshi Kasai Tweets About Final Show @ The Echo

Since releasing their newest album Pinkus Abortion Technician in 2018, the Melvins have seen minimal road action in support of the content. However, this tour gave them the chance to harp on nostalgia, holding true to their roots since the 1980s.

Following a hour-long electronic performance and visual demonstration by Toshi Kasai, Redd Kross hit the stage for their own hour-long set featuring a fifteen-song setlist and more hair than you can imagine— it was epic.

Showing off their luscious locks, Redd Kross shoveled out some of their biggest hits including “Lady in the Front Row,” “Annie’s Gone,” “Switchblade Sister,” “Uglier” and “Jimmy’s Fantasy,” alongside covers like The Sparks’ “When Do I Get to Sing ‘My Way’” and The Quick’s “It Won’t Be Long.”

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Redd Kross Perform "Switchblade Sister" Live @ The Echo 11/08/19

With such a fantastic setlist in tow, it was inevitable that Redd Kross would take command of the stage. Yet, what I found to be most impressive wasn’t necessarily the performances themselves (which were undoubtedly high level), but rather the pure joy the entire band exuded from the start of their set to the very end. They were simply enjoying themselves, and it was more than contagious.

After a quick move towards the front of the crowd, I, along with the rest of the audience, prepared for the main act of the night. With an ever-changing lineup like that of the Melvins, it was no surprise that Redd Kross bassist Steven McDonald and drummer Dale Crover returned to stage as members of the Melvins.

Alongside frontman and guitarist Buzz Osbourne, the experimental rock legends graced the stage for a seventeen-song setlist that had remained practically unchanged since the start of the tour. Featuring hits like “The Kicking Machine,” “Queen,” “Anaconda,” “It’s Shoved” and “Oven" to open the show, the Melvins immediately established a decibel level beyond safe measure, and it was incredible.

Buzz Osbourne of Melvins Performs a Guitar Solo @ The Echo 11/08/19

As fans thrashed their way through the crowd, head banging and air drumming to every track, the Melvins continued the set with little-to-no commentary in between performances. Throwing in hit after hit, Osbourne, McDonald and Crover found their way around the stage themselves, jumping and sliding around like they had been transported back to the 90s. Sporting a bedazzled black covering, Osbourne fed off of McDonald’s nonstop energy throughout the night, ultimately resulting in the perfect metal duo at center stage.

Touching on more rooted hits like “Billy Fish,” “Hooch,” “Honey Bucket,” “A Growing Disgust,” and “The Bit,” the Melvins had constructed a foolproof setlist that anyone in the crowd could enjoy regardless of their fan status. Coupled with a ceaseless intensity from the invincible band, the show itself will remain unmatched.

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Melvins Perform "The Bit" Live @ The Echo 11/08/19

With no encore in sight, the Melvins simply ended the show on a high note, performing “With Teeth” before inviting the remaining members of Redd Kross back to stage for a combined performance of Kiss’s “Deuce.” Just when I thought it couldn’t get any louder, they fired up two more guitars to remind fans exactly why they were there in the first place.

Melvins and Redd Kross Perform "Deuce" Live @ The Echo 11/08/19

And with that, the Melvins and Redd Kross wrapped on their Escape from L.A. Tour. After fifty-four grueling dates across the United States, the legendary rock acts ended the run exactly where they started. They couldn’t really escape L.A., but we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Check out the complete setlist from The Echo here!

Melvins Setlist @ The Echo 11/08/19

To keep up-to-date with all things Melvins, check out their official website!

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Last updated: 29 Mar 2024, 10:01 Etc/UTC