Do you ever need a sonic wash to drown out the fear of tomorrow?
I do, and that is exactly what I got on May 10th at Polaris Hall in Portland, OR. The band, Just Mustard, flooded the art deco reminiscent venue with their noise. Hailing from Dundalk, Ireland, the band came back to the Rose City to support their third LP, WE WERE JUST HERE.
I glanced around the room, noticing familiar faces from the last shoegaze/experimental rock show I attended, Nuclear Daisies. It dawned on me that maybe shoegaze and those who appreciate it live are few and far between. It takes an acquired taste to enjoy the ringing and intensity of being hit by reverberation and distortion at ear-deafening levels.
I’m familiar with Just Mustard as I started listening about 4 years ago. My discovery was through their debut LP, Wednesday, released in 2018. A truthfully stunning shoegaze album with post-punk influences.
The band came out and immediately began to play, no words, no hi-hello, simply the sound of plugging in and pedals pressed. The first song, “ENDLESS DEATHLESS”, hit with siren-like intensity. A seemingly sleepy Sunday evening was awakened.
Just Mustard comprises Katie Bell (vocals), David Noonan (guitar/vocals), Mete Kalyon (guitar), Rob Klarke (bass), and Shane Maguire (drums). Like any shoegaze band, they are loud, and the sound is cut through by a soft, fairy-like voice. Bell has a high-pitched whisper amongst the intensity. Though, what stands out about Just Mustard and why I favor their past releases is Noonan’s raspy guttural voice. In the performance, Bell’s voice rang in my ears whereas Noonan’ voice entered in a few tracks, acting as a salve.
The band oscillated between songs off their recent release and sleeper hits from their past LPs. Three of my favorites: “Frank”, “Still,” and “Deaf” played. As the songs moved from slow reverb to intense distortion, the crowd followed. Swaying bodies transitioned to head tossing then back again.
“Frank”, a song held close as I navigate the fear of adulthood past the college experience, holds in its lyrics the reality and fear of failure.
“I watch TV to fall asleep”, a lyric I associate with the fear of going to bed as a child and the TV bringing a sense of companionship in a fearful slumber. Hearing it live felt cathartic. It dawned on me, I am an adult in a dark room, escaping reality with bone-rattling noise.
Around Bell, the instrumentalists spread across the stage and threw themselves at the sound of their own instruments. Acting as the sole anchoring piece, Bell remained still, almost stoic. Eyes fixed on the back of the room and unfazed by the chaos behind her.
One aspect that I still can’t get over is Noonan’s ability to live mix with his pedals and simultaneously lead the guitar section. This wasn’t your average fiddling with pedals between songs. It was balancing sound and effects while playing. Throughout the performance, my eyes moved from the technicolor-lit stage onto the guitarist bent down, pressing, turning, and flicking at a pedal-covered floor.
After a simple “thank you” the night ended. It was harsh, it was soft, it left my mind buzzing and ears humming. I exited Polaris satisfied that I had finally seen a band I had been playing on my radio show since 2022, along with a refreshed perspective of the band.
If Just Mustard is coming to your city, see the show and make sure to bring ear protection.
