Vary Lumar has a secret identity. Listen to the Boston quartet’s 2009 EP, Plasticolor Coma, and they’re the intense, quiet, and slightly eccentric guy in the coffee shop, rough edges glimpsed but soon submerged. But live at Great Scott, it was mostly action hero time — amped up, unabashed rock rough and tumble.
Kicking off with one of the noisiest songs in their catalog, the aggressive and gritty “Inside Greenwich Palace,” Vary Lumar got the crowd going from the start. If anyone in the audience expected a laid-back ride following the opener, they were in for some trouble. Vary Lumar stormed through new tune “The Other Ones Are Just Like Blasts,” harmonizing vocals playing counterpoint to the guitar-driven turbulence. Even in the hypnotic “Basin” the band brought an intense fervor to the soft underpinnings, transporting the song into a different sonic realm.
Though their live sound was harder edged, the improvisational flavor was apparent throughout. This was largely thanks to bassist Rob Laff, who nearly headbanged in his enthusiasm as he laid down varied and agile progressions, injecting the precision and complex rhythmic sense of Vary Lumar’s quieter moments. On "Next Step", singer/guitarist Paul De Pasquale showed some of his own improvisational spirit with a musical MacGyver moment. Requisitioning a beer bottle from a fan, De Pasquale dexterously positioned it against the strings for instant slide guitar.
There was also some new material in the mix, “. . . Blasts” and closer “Sand in the Sea” the fruit of Vary Lumar’s recent studio work for their second full length album. It’s safe to expect unconventional rhythms, melodic vocals, and eclectic influences. But be sure to bet on some noise.