Bob Mould

Riot Stage, Downsview Park, Toronto ON, September 7

Photo: Stephen McGill

BY Ian GormelyPublished Sep 8, 2014

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Riot Fest does a good job of putting under-appreciated legends in front of young crowds. Case in point: Bob Mould, who, as guitarist for Husker Du both directly and indirectly influenced 90% of the weekend's line-up.

Mould, 53, balding and bespectacled, quickly launched into Husker Du's "Flip Your Wig" followed quickly by "Hate Paper Doll" and Sugar track "Changes." From the opening chords, the sound from Mould's Strat was unmistakable as he and bass player Jason Narducy and Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster tore through his career catalogue. Their energy belied Mould's age; he moved around twice as much as many of his contemporaries half his age, and Wurster's robust drumming and clear enthusiasm buoyed the trio's overall performance. Peppering in a number of cuts from this year's Beauty & Ruin did nothing to dull the afternoon crowd's reception. They ended their time with Flip Your Wig classic "Makes No Sense At All."

Mould's consistency in both style and quality across his three-and-a-half decade-long career allows him to traverse his career on stage without coming across like a nostalgia act.

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