Mute Math 4/22 @ Neumo’s
By Megan
Welcome to our newest writer, Megan!
Last Sunday I found myself at Neumos with tickets to see Mute Math (sometimes Mutemath, take your pick). I was tired and grouchy and not in the mood for a concert. A few hours later I found myself in a state of euphoria. To think I had considered not going… But let’s start at the top:
Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
I’ve loved these guys since their lo-fi, laid-back, indie rock tunes first found their way to my stereo, but I was concerned a live performance would be lacking. Not so. This is a band that clearly has its act together, and that act is Warm and Powerful. SSLYBY was simultaneously deep and danceable, rowdy and reserved, delicate and down-to-earth. Considering the opening band is usually just background noise as people get themselves situated, Someone Still Loves You had a remarkable hold on the crowd.
The Cinematics
I admit I knew nothing about this band before I saw them last week. The Cinematics hail from Scotland which must be the land of pop gems. While their set was unusually short, they were fun and (ironically) familiar, such that I had no problem getting right into it with everyone else. By the end, we were all Ready Now for…
MuteMath
This is a band that, even if you don’t like their records, you must see live. If you do like their recorded stuff, then there’s just no excuse at all. They. Were. Amazing. They practically put on a light show. The entire set was fantastic Chaos and Neumos literally rocked from all the jumping and dancing. Mutemath (and us with them) exploded with energy through Typical, Noticed, and much more, making each song epic with improvisation. If you don’t think a keytar is cool, you need to let Mutemath prove you wrong. Perhaps the most pleasant (slightly off-topic) surprise of the concert was the positive energy of the crowd. I’m used to having to “put up” with fellow concert goers, and I usually witness more shoving and scowling than singing and swaying. Not a single fight broke out (which is a novelty in my concert-going experience) and everyone genuinely seemed to be there to enjoy the music and have a good time (imagine!). I had heard a lot about how Mute Math goes all out live, and there was no disappointment. There was only one way this show could end, and that was with Paul Meany jumping over his keyboard and crowd surfing over his happy, eager fans. “I want to thank you for coming out tonight and especially for touching me inappropriately.” Perfect.
To recap: Someone Still Loves You truly delivered, the Cinematics were entertaining and refreshing, and Mute Math was as crazy as the hype makes them out to be.