The Hard Quartet made their first stop through Boston to address the age-old question: Is Dad rock cool? The band is on tour supporting their debut album, 2024’s The Hard Quartet, but it was hardly an introductory show for the band’s members. The indie rock supergroup consists of Stephen Malkmus (of Pavement fame), Matt Sweeney (member of Chavez and Zwan), Jim White (of The Dirty Three) and Emmett Kelly, who has played with artists like Ty Segall and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. To say it is a veteran-led supergroup is an understatement. The band brought their indie melting pot show to the Paradise on 3/30 and we were on hand to witness.
First up on the night was Sharp Pins, the solo project from Kai Slater of indie-throttlers Lifeguard. Slater and his backing band were supporting his second album, the recently-released Radio DDR. The band’s bouncy blend is a lot more 60’s power-pop than the punk energy of Lifeguard, making for a nice tour package of early classic rock feels alongside The Hard Quartet. Slater had a unique vocal squawk that punctured the older-sounding tunes with a youthful vibe,while also bantering about having a lobster roll he couldn’t afford. The band got the assignment – their forty-five minute set was full of midtempo, garage-y bangers that opted more for a jovial spirit than energy or volume. Despite being from Chicago, it felt like a second British invasion, with the band even dressing like 1966 Britain. And, despite them being very young, they were not unknown to the crowd – there were plenty of people just as excited for them as The Hard Quartet.
But Hard Quartet was the draw on the night, and they played a fun, well-rounded set that showcased literally everything they have to offer. To date, the band has a self-titled debut and a recently-released standalone song, “Lies (Something You Can Do),” and they played ‘em all. The band draws on their collective myriad of influences while also checking their age, with the end result being a balanced rock and roll diet that sometimes kicks up the energy, sometimes keeps it low, and sometimes jams out. Malkmus, Sweeney and Kelly all traded off on vocal duties, and sometimes switched up instruments, too, realigning themselves on stage based on where the instrument is. The band repeatedly thanked fans for coming out on a Sunday night – the older crowd all had work the next day! – with Malkmus chiming in that neither the Sox nor the Bruins were playing at that moment. “The Catholic hockey team lost. What are they called, the Fluties?” he joked, a touchstone reference for the median age group. None of these guys have lost any of their playfulness.
The band opened with “Heel’s Highway” and “Rio’s Song,” two of their more banging tunes. Throughout the set, they touched on excellent breezier songs like “Jacked Existence” and “Murder By Death,” as well as other heaters like “Earth Hater” and “Renegade.” The new song, “Lies (Something You Can Do),” was smack in the middle of the setlist, played before the ambitious, winding song “Six Deaf Rats.” They closed with the album’s opening track, “Chrome Mess,” easily the loudest and most raucous song played that night. It was a playful, fitting end to the show that proved that these guys who made names for themselves on indie fuzz and garage rock still have a lot of energy left. So is Dad rock cool? Maybe, maybe not, but the Hard Quartet sure are.
Check out some photos from the show below:
