I’ve got a pretty personal connection with the Jesus Lizard, a small story starting back at around 1998 or 2000, when I was in school. A friend of mine gave me a pirate Nirvana compilation (there was no way of getting any legit music in Siberia back then - only bootlegging) that got me into rock music. And there was that one song on that compilation, that was radically different from all the rest. It was literally the best one on that compilation - also way heavier than everything else, insanely catchy with unique charm, drive, positivity and aggression… and at the same time it definitely had the same sound as Nirvana. That song I listened to the most. Almost nobody had the internet, so there was no possibility to figure out which albums were the songs sources, and only many years later I realized I can not find that song on any of the albums, EPs or demos. It was in 2012 - literally so many years later - when I figured out what it was. Puss song. It was not Nirvana. Someone by mistake or to make this exact joke to confuse got the Jesus Lizard song into that compilation, and this is because Nirvana and the Jesus Lizard had a split “Puss / Oh, the Guilt” - out in 1993. Now even more, it was 2024 when I understood that the sound is the same, because it was Steve Albini who had worked with both bands. 

To this day Puss is one of my all-time-favourites. 

It was surprising to see the Jesus Lizard reform, and even going to Europe in support of the release of a fantastic Rack (and also following a tradition of having four characters in album names) album. 

But what is the Jesus Lizard? Rock, punk, grunge, post-hardcore, some noise, alternative rock? All of it, having quite peculiar distinctive drunken-rant tirade / almost spoken-word vocals. A lot of older bands note them as an influence, and recently I bumped into newcomers Child Bite, who warmed up Pantera here in Oslo - and the influence was there (and confirmed by the band). 

Our locals Siste Sort were the openers. Boom - the sound check was definitely worth it - it was a blast from the first hit! This is an advantage of playing first - you get a soundcheck right before you play. Siste Sort is a quartet and I also do not know how to describe them, but I really loved their sound. It is a great mix of crunchy-clean guitars, that are very smartly arranged complimenting each other, dirty-ish very big bass (I was standing in the front and it was massive), gigantic (I mean sound) kick-drum and very tight drums and two main vocals - lady on bass, ginger bear on right guitar and additional vocals from the left guitar player. Punk-ish, but not really punk - much more intricate and interesting - with some groove rock and a bit frantic vocals. This was a very good opening act and a fantastic match. 

The Jesus Lizard headed the stage earlier than I expected - just fifteen minutes after Siste Sort were out. 

One word: Charisma. David Yow had a bruised left eye and it was almost like by design. David “falls” into the audience on the first song. Expectedly. Seasick (from the Goat album) is the first song, it is a very promising start! I know the danger, but I stand on the very first row, a bit to the left from the very center, we manage to shake hands with David. 

All of their recordings have very prominent bass, and it is the same live. David William Sims looks like Mr. Saw from the franchise, and we feel every hit of the pick on the strings. It matches Mac McNeilly on drums, who is tighter than your metronome. Mac could have also been Mr. Saw! Duane Denison on guitar (some interesting green boutique thing?) is closer to me, plugged in Helix Floor and then a Blackstar head, concentrated on guitar, appropriate Helix button and smiling, because he knows something we don’t. 

I think it is around the fourth song (Then Comes Dudley), when someone from the audience rushes on stage and stage dives hitting me with the left leg and dropping a stage monitor. Security puts it back, directing it wrong, and I lean over the fence correcting it so that it is directed towards Duane, not the audience. Meanwhile, the frontman comes and teases us pretending he will jump too. 

“I want you to repeat after me”, - David Yow. “Yaaaaay”, John Dee club responds. “Fuuuuck” - John Dee repeats. “Truuuump” - John Dee repeats. 

Both Puss and my other favourite Hide & Seek (preceded by drunken dancing on Nub) from the newest record are played among other things I like. 

Mouth Breaker, and the band dedicates the song to a friend who has died a year ago - Steve Albini. 

Encore. 

“I cannot speak Norwegian. But I look like a troll”, - we giggle. David Yow announces every song of the Encore as Skull of a German. The audience looks the same age and generation as the Jesus Lizard, but the mosh behind me is crazy - it almost feels safer to be on the first row. David is now properly swimming the audience on Fly on the Wall, the second encore song. I enjoy this contact zoo!!

2nd Encore and several songs. 

David Yow and Jesus Lizard have aged like a very good wine! Whether you like the recordings or not, it is quite an experience to be in - in total contact with the band. I thought of the Jesus Lizard as something from the past that will never be experienced - but luckily for us, here they are - crushing Oslo!