Meat Wave played Great Scott – 2/15

Noisemakers of the Midwest and local variety – that’s Meat Wave and Sneeze, respectively – lit up last Wednesday’s snowy gloom at Great Scott.

Sneeze are Boston fixtures and purveyors of downcast noise rock that greets you with a sneer. It’s a style they pull off well, and they sounded great opening this bill, even if one member did call out audience members (myself included) for wearing earplugs. C’mon, even one night at Great Scott without those is an invitation to hearing loss.

Chicago’s Meat Wave are occasionally mentioned in the same breath as the sunny garage rock revivalists that factor into today’s “rock lives!” arguments, but their angle on the power trio is a darker, more paranoid one. The band released their new Steve Albini-produced LP The Incessant last week, and offered up a number of those new songs in a tense, engrossing set.

Check out photos from both bands below.