In 1987, Dinosaur Jr. released You’re Living All Over Me, and the entire world of Alternative rock changed. Expanding on the hard rock sound of their scattered self-titled debut, You’re Living All Over Me highlighted lead singer/indie guitar hero J Mascis’ song writing. Virtually all of the album’s ten cuts became standards. However, with the departure of bassist Lou Barlow in 1989 and Emmet Patrick “Murph” Murphy in 1994, the band became The J Mascis Experience, For the next 10 years, Mascis recorded strong albums, 1993’s Where You Been, the group’s bestseller, and toured under the Dino Jr. moniker. But the dynamic of the extraordinary original line-up was nonexistent. Thus, the bootleg album Out There: Europe ’97, a compilation of two shows in Sweden and Germany from Dinosaur Jr.’s 1997 European Tour, is surprisingly mind blowing. The set list is impeccable and the crowd is ebullient, an impressive feat considering that the legions of Dinosaur Jr. devotees hit their prime in the late-80s. Most impressive, however, is the energy and vigor generated by Mascis and band members Mike Johnson and George Berz. For a group that is that is supposed to be J Mascis and Two Random Dudes, this crew nearly matches the vibrancy and passion of their original line-up. As for the set itself, all the standards are here. The anthem
