Coming out onto a bare Sinclair stage in Harvard Square, with only an amplifier and raucous applause to accompany him, Bob Mould still pushes the envelope, artistically and politically. Humble yet defiant, the star of Husker Dü & Sugar reveals his more human side by tearing away the musical excess so that his songwriting can better cut to the core of his expansive musical repertoire and art. Unable to escape the star status of his most loved songs (where nothing can stop Boston crowds of their ignorance of a damned set list), Mould couldn’t be bothered.

Touring often, resting little and playing songs from throughout his career, Mould is able to please the crowd while outright ignoring their pandering and desires.

Though less punky & brash than he was early in his career, a unique and individual mentality still shines through his performance and is able to be more closely reflected upon when grappling with meaning in rock music. What so the dim associations mean, and how do they build a feeling of emotion and expressiveness careening from the performer to every person in the crowd?

Unflinching in his honesty and social speculations, ‘I survived the eighties for this?…. why does everyone’s rights have to be infringed upon all at once?’

He calls for activism and resistance against the current administration in a manner akin to all the other acts I’ve seen since November… (which is a metric fuck ton).

He opens the dialogue and the silence is filled with past tales of his poetry and frustrations to bring home the point of why he plays, tours, lives and continues to love despite the unruly churning of personal and social machinations we all succumb to for money.

He is accomplishing what every musician who is just starting out wishes to be. Just his songs and his songs, touring and playing his music his way through the social noise of being a gay & famed rock star.