Mercer Arena, Seattle, WA, 5/22/96

Sitting in a smoky, decrepit arena waiting for proto- metal industrial thrashers Ministry to go onstage is not the usual setting for revelations about traditional American music. But that's I had at Seattle's dumpy, tiny Mercer arena last Wednesday.

After a taut, sweaty set from Chicago's premier post- Big Black guitar band The Jesus Lizard, I sat back in a torn, uncomfortable seat safely away from the floor full of black-clad leather youths to digest the 45 minutes of Jesus Lizard mayhem. Lead singer David Yow actually stayed on stage for the first two tunes before taking his trademark dive into the mosh pit, while his trio of clean-cut cohorts pumped out their special brand of blues-grunge. Guitarist Duane Denison shined on newer songs like "Now Then" and "Mailman," but it was classic JL material like "Puss" and "Glamorous" that turned the front ranks into a churning mosh pit. Yow's vocals were typically incoherent yet dynamic (has he ever sung "Puss" the same way twice?) and even the songs from their new CD Shot took on extra dimensions. Shirtless and grinning, Yow represents the perfect post-punk fusion of total song commitment and total lack of concern for personal safety.

As always, the Lizard delivered the goods, despite apathy from at least a third of the Ministry-focused crowd.

SETLIST: The Jesus Lizard (8:22-9:04)
Destroy Before Reading
Now Then
Puss
Thumbscrews
Fly on the Wall
Glamorous
The Associate
More Beautiful Than Barbie
Boilermaker
Skull of a German
Mailman
Gladiator

American rockers JESUS LIZARD have been banned from ever playing in Seattle again. The fire department in the unofficial grunge capital of America, home of PEARL JAM and the former members of NIRVANA, have banned Jesus Lizard because of frontman DAVID YOW's stage diving antics.

Stage diving has now been prohibited in the north-western city on grounds of public safety. The ban follows a gig at the city's Mercer Arena in May when Jesus Lizard supported MINISTRY.

Despite warnings to stay on stage, Yow dived into the audience twice - prompting CAPTAIN LARRY WICK of the fire department to announce he would revoke the public-assembly permit of any local venue hosting a Jesus Lizard show. But the Chicago group didn't take the ban seriously until they tried to schedule a concert there for September and found they really were blacklisted. They are now trying to relocate that show to Olympia, Washington, some 60 miles away.