By Christopher David<\/p>\n
In case you\u2019ve been living under a rock since 2015, the \u201890s are back. Like, hard.<\/p>\n
The more years that pass, it becomes ever-clearer that the heyday of what came to be known as alternative rock spawned bands with timeless appeal that transcended any clear genre. For every Nirvana or Smashing Pumpkins, there were a dozen excellent bands who, while never reaching those mythic peaks of success, plugged away as long as they reasonably could and never failed to disappoint.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s jubilant Veruca Salt reunion was a harbinger of things to come, and since then we\u2019ve seen the reformation of Lush, Letters to Cleo, and now, Belly, the band that fully brought singer\/songwriter Tanya Donnelly to the fore. In spite of only releasing two albums (1993\u2019s Star<\/em> and 1995\u2019s King<\/em>), Belly was, arguably, one of the most unique and engaging alt-pop bands of the era, and their stop at the Vic Theatre on Saturday night felt like the capacity crowd had been pulled through a wormhole back to that sterling decade.<\/p>\n For a few reasons. First, the band members barely appear to have aged, and Donnelly is as engaging as ever, her signature sway and stunningly versatile voice on full display from top to bottom. The lack of opening bands and the fact that this short tour is entirely on the band\u2019s terms (they\u2019re working without a crew, handling the loading, travel, etc. entirely on their own, which is practically unheard of for a band with their legacy) made for a dynamic, focused show split into two sets\u2014something that, in spite of my love for hearing new bands as openers\u2014more legacy bands should take note of.<\/p>\n Opening with King<\/em> single \u201cSeal My Fate,\u201d the band hit on all cylinders immediately, and it felt like they\u2019d never even been gone. Bassist Gail Greenwood has to be one of the most energetic musicians on earth, leading the crowd in singalongs and generally bantering with hilarious aplomb, noting the many fans who have been following the band for the duration of their tour, even noting that she remembered a fan who had given her a gift back in the \u201890s. I believe her\u2014the band\u2019s effortless connection to their fan base was one of the most intense I\u2019ve seen throughout this time of reunions and reconciliations, which made the show that much more special.<\/p>\n The band delivered the majority of Star<\/em> and a few choice cuts from King<\/em>, which was harder rocking than its predecessor, though no less intimate from a songwriting standpoint. The biggest surprise came in the form of brand-new song \u201cPunish,\u201d which indicates that Belly have been casting at least one eye toward the future. At first blush, the song seemed to be a perfect continuation of where the band left off after King, with a clear hook and a driving beat calling to mind some of the band\u2019s most-recognized material. Guitarist Tom Gorman and drummer Chris Gorman are both aces up the band\u2019s collective sleeves, and the band\u2019s onstage interactions as they tried to get the Gorman family, who were at the side of the stage watching the show, to come out for a dedication. It was the first of several personal shoutouts to fans who have made themselves known to the band, as Greenwood congratulated one couple on their engagement and another on their anniversary.<\/p>\n Deep cuts were in abundance and as well received as the singles, always an indicator of a fanbase\u2019s dedication. The thrashing \u201cDusted\u201d was balanced by the lush, acoustic \u201cJudas My Heart,\u201d an underrated ballad with some of the most beautiful lyrics Donnelly ever committed to song, and the bouncing \u201cRed\u201d drew even the most stoic observer into one of Donnelly\u2019s most irresistible hooks. \u201cLow Red Moon\u201d closed out the first set in a wash of flashy light work, at which point Greenwood indicated that they were going to take a ten-minute break \u201cso all the parents in the house could call their babysitters.\u201d Indeed, the crowd was almost completely a time capsule of those who grew up with the band in their high school or college years, though the natural appeal of the band\u2019s melodic pop tunes would likely have no trouble reaching a younger demographic in the right context.<\/p>\n Opening the second set with \u201cFull Moon, Empty Heart,\u201d the second half of the show mixed hits with more ethereal introspective tracks, with the harmony-driven \u201cSpaceman,\u201d King<\/em> opener \u201cPuberty,\u201d and \u201cFeed the Tree,\u201d the rollicking single that brought Belly to the world, as standouts. The band closed with \u201cThief,\u201d another rarity that didn\u2019t appear on a proper album but was widely known by the faithful, and it was more proof that Belly weren\u2019t playing by anyone else\u2019s rules.<\/p>\n Donnelly has been quoted as saying she regrets not having made a third Belly album, and if Saturday\u2019s show was any indication, they\u2019d be crazy not to. Like we\u2019re discovering with so many others from that era, they may indeed just be hitting their stride.<\/p>\n For more on Belly, click here<\/a><\/p>\n