Napalm Death, Melvins, Weedeater, Dark Sky Burial
- Bleeding Priest
- Apr 8
- 5 min read
April 7, 2025
Great American Music Hall
San Francisco, CA
It’s a rare occasion I go to a show on a Monday night let alone leave the house. But here we are at a sold out Great American Music Hall for Napalm Death / The Melvins / Weedeater / Dark Sky Burial. Before I get into the show I must address an encounter Dave and I had at my (usually) favorite pre AND post show watering hole Emperor Norton’s Boozeland.
Dave and I were engaged in a conversation as we walked in and sat at the bar. Apparently the bartender walked up and said hello. Neither one of us heard her or even noticed she was standing there. So yes, from her perspective it may have appeared rude that neither one of us acknowledged her…for a couple of seconds. What followed was straight up unhinged type of bullshit. When we noticed her she was walking away to the end of the bar. She sat down and started reading a book. At first we weren’t sure what to do. Eventually I kind of leaned over and sheepishly tried to get her attention. It wasn’t very busy and it wasn’t loud at all so I know she heard me. No response. I said hello again, no response. Finally I asked if she was the bartender and the BOOM! She ERUPTED!
“YES I’M THE FUCKING BARTENDER!” she howled. “Oh, I’m sorry, do you want a fucking drink? Am I supposed to go over there and suck your dick too?” We were speechless. We were half laughing in disbelief that things escalated to the level they did. She went on raging at us for what seemed like a minute. Dave being the ever peacekeeper apologized for not noticing her and we ordered a couple of drinks, knocked them back and got the fuck out of there. I’ve been to this bar well over 100 times and this is the absolute first time I ever felt unwelcome in there. This woman was clearly having a bad day and did not want to be there. Aye, I get it. Most folks don’t want to be at work but there’s a level of professionalism needed when working with the public. She failed on all fronts. Will this keep me from returning? FUCK NO! We went back there after the show. I was half hoping she’d still be there but was pretty sure she wouldn’t be. One thing for sure, the next time I walk in and she’s working I will go somewhere else. There’s plenty of other options in that neighborhood.
Now, the show. We missed Shane Embury’s 137th side project Dark Sky Burial but got in just in time for the start of Weedeater. Wow, there’s a name from the past. These guys played SF/Oakland constantly in the late 90’s/early-00’s. I mean it almost seemed like they never stopped touring. Then things seemed to slow down for them by the late 00’s. In fact, the last time I saw them was at The Pound to give you an idea of how long it’s been. They were every bit as heavy and sludgey, wait, it’s 2025, I meant “doomy” as I remember them. Dixie’s always a pleasure to watch perform. He plays that bass with some serious “unbridled enthusiasm”. SEINFELD REFERENCE ALERT! They put on a solid show for sure.
Next were The Melvins. Honestly I was shocked they went on second. Maybe internationally Napalm Death is more known, maybe, but the West Coast, San Francisco in particular is Melvins country. In any case they delivered what The Melvins always do…THE HEAVINESS! On this run they’re doing the two drummer thing again with Coady from Big Business / High On Fire. It’s impressive and super entertaining to watch the interplay between the two.
They trade off licks and fills throughout the songs and it’s fun guessing who will lead and how things will land. I’ve seen this lineup of the band before. In fact the first time I saw the two drummer thing was at Slim’s with none other than Napalm Death and I think Yellow Machine Gun from Japan opened. That was a while ago. With all that said I still prefer seeing them with just Dale up there bashing away. Bassist Steven Shane MacDonald from Redd Kross adds a lot of personality to stage left. Something that was lacking with bassists past.
I try to catch these guys once a year or so. I’ve never seen a bad Melvins gig and this one was no exception. The Melvins ended their set in total class by paying homage to Blondie drummer Clem Burke (who passed away earlier that day) by both drummers doing a heartfelt, in unison rendition of “Dreaming” for a few bars.
Now we have the band I was truly there to see, the mighty NAPALM DEATH! I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve seen these Grind bastards from Birmingham but I never miss a chance to witness their controlled chaos. Danny Herrera is still one of the fastest blasters in the world. Watching his right hand blur on that ride cymbal is quite a sight. Barney looked like an overgrown Dennis The Menace throwing a temper tantrum shitfit up there. He hasn’t lost an iota of visceral energy and his voice is still in top form. They played stuff spanning most of their career. I would’ve liked to have heard something off of Within The Torn Apart but I know that era of the band isn’t looked upon too fondly by some fans and I think some band members as well. Still a fucking awesome set though.
Extra bonus having Jello Biafra come on stage and sing “Nazi Punks Fuck Off!” at the end. Extra Extra bonus seeing Rob Barrett (pictured BELOW) from Malevolent Creation / Cannibal Corpse fame at the show along with Paul Masvidal from Human era Death and Cynic. That was my first time meeting him. Anyone involved with the Human album be it musician, engineer, producer, sandwich delivery guy is a legend in my book.
–Bleeding Priest
