If you’ve ever seen Dig!, the 2004 film that followed the competing trajectories of the Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre, you’ve caught a glimpse of the madness of Anton Newcombe, the latter’s creative force and the principal antagonist of the film. But for as much as Anton’s megalomania has been nearly always on display during the band’s 35 years, there’s no denying that he has produced some absolutely brilliant music. It’s amazing what he’s done with just a handful of chords, releasing 20 albums that haven’t ventured too far from his penchant for ‘60s psych-tinged melodies and hazy aesthetics, but have never suffered for it. Indeed, pick up any Brian Jonestown Massacre record and you’re sure to find more than one moment of pure sonic bliss. Anton no doubt thinks the BJM is the greatest band on earth, and there are moments when you can’t disagree.

Live, the BJM is a completely unpredictable beast, largely depending on Anton’s mood and state of mind. I’ve seen them do justice to his visions of grandeur, and I’ve seen their performance dissolve into a chaotic shamble — and everywhere in between. Heading into The Sinclair just off Harvard Square, it was hard to know what to expect. At the last Brian Jonestown show I had witnessed, Anton spent most of the night berating the drummer for his timing being off. Of course, this was at the start of a tour that eventually ended with the band fighting onstage and the remainder of their shows being cancelled.

Tonight, Anton seemed to be in a good mood. Perhaps as a result of the last tour or perhaps due to some time spent in therapy, he even made a comment about the (new) drummer being a good person. And when he broke a string, instead of freaking out, he waited patiently while his guitar tech fixed the problem and told the crowd that he wanted the music to sound its best for them.

As it was, with several fits and starts, it took the band half the set to really start firing on all cylinders. They hit their stride with “When Jokers Attack” before segueing into the angelic “Sailor” and the narcoleptic groove of “Anemone.” The highpoint, though, came with “Neverthless,” its propulsive acoustic riff leading the way while Anton sang, “Please play by the rules.” But just as the band’s figurehead was polite and even gracious at times, the performance seemed somewhat tame compared to when I’ve witnessed them at their best. Not that fisticuffs and flying bottles were wanted, just maybe a little more volume and some unhinged playing. That said, as the final notes of the closer “Super-Sonic” faded away, there was very little about which to complain as the band had delivered a set that, while maybe not transcendent, was certainly exceptional.