W/ Stef Chura
October 23rd, 2026
Neptune Theater, Seattle, WA
Photos by Travis Smith
Words by Jonny Fong
Dinosaur Jr.: Some Old, Some New, All rocking
Oct. 23rd at the Neptune Theater - The Neptune Theater in Seattle’s U District is a great place to see a show. Just around the corner from the University of Washington’s main bar crawl, the historic venue has been hosting everything under the sun since 1921. It’s a great venue to see a show for fans both young and old- an open general admission allows for both seating on the balcony and active dancing on the floor.
It was a perfect venue to catch one of grunge’s predecessors, Dinosaur Jr. I found myself seated next to a father and son from Canada. They had made the13 hour drive down for the two nights of shows- fitting that a band with Dinosaur Jr.’s longevity was captivating to multiple generations. As always, the band was loud. The band opened with “Severed Lips” from their first album, “Dinosaur,” a more mellow offering. After a blistering rendition of “In a Jar” which had the sock-footed bass playing Lou bopping along energetically, Jay took a quick pause to announce the new material. The crowd jumped and danced energetically with J, Lou and Murph enthusiastically encouraging them.
“Blowin’ Up” saw J and Murph switch guitar and bass duties, with J moving away from the mic brandishing a Rickenbacker. The band bantered during breaks, with J smoothly exchanging guitars between every few songs. The crowd roared an affirmation to the question, “Want some old stuff?” as the band launched into a blistering rendition of “Little Fury Things.” J’s solo on “Feel the Pain,” the band’s biggest commercial success, was the classic Dinosaur Jr. sound- soaring, melodic, quirky, whimsical. When the band announced their last song, it was surprisingly “Gargoyle,” opening and closing their regular program with tracks from their first Album.
Dinosaur Jr.’s encore began with the upbeat “Start Choppin’” and had the entire floor moving when the boys hit the main groove. Lou announced the last song and invited the audience to sing along with the band’s cover of the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.” I found myself joining in with a big grin on my face.
