Riding the wave of momentum from their sophomore release, Armistice, the alternative rock/electronic act, Mutemath, paid a visit to the Magic City on November 2nd. The quartet from New Orleans has already built a loyal following in the Birmingham area with shows at both the Workplay Theatre and Soundstage; their last appearance was in November 2007.
This time around, the band took their act to the Alabama Theatre. Opening act, As Tall as Lions, failed to appear due to travel dilemmas so a D.J. filled in for the 8 o clock slot. Though the remixes of current and classic hits were enjoyable for the first half hour or so, the audience was anxiously waiting for Mutemath to hit the stage. Finally, the band started up their set with a high-energy performance of “The Nerve.” From there, the band proceeded to capture the audience with its unique mix of music, stage antics, and media.
The songs stemmed mainly from Armistice and their self-titled record and included renditions of “Spotlight,” “Backfire,” “Anymore,” “No Response,” and fan favorites “Typical,” “Stare at the Sun,” and “Reset.” The band incorporated several instruments in their set including an array of keyboards, guitars and keytars, an upright bass, voice modifiers, a full drum kit, and an extra bass drum that lit up when played; lead vocalist Paul Meany even used his piano stool as a percussion instrument during “Stare at the Sun.”
The backdrop resembled the cover of Armistice and provided the mixed media portion of the show. Live feed of the band as well as scenes from miscellaneous videos appeared on the screen for several songs and guided the show visually. The technical element of the concert also relied heavily on the lighting, which effectively set the mood and built suspense for the individual songs.
Known for their on-stage feats and acrobatics, the band was all over the stage. Meany did handstands on the keyboards, leapt into the air, and rushed into the audience, who rewarded him with a plethora of high fives and shouted admirations. Guitarist Greg Hill and bassist Roy Mitchell-Cardenas participated in the chaos as well by moving to and from the different instruments throughout the show. However, they seemed to have been given the responsibility of ‘holding down the fort’ in order to maintain the tempo of the music, allowing the other two members to orchestrate more daring feats.
Drummer Darren King provided the most memorable moment of the evening. During the final song, King punched out the center of his bass drum, put it over his head, and proceeded to play blindly. One could only speculate the consequences of returning to the days of the instrument-smashing grunge era, but it proved effective for this particular concert.
Overall, the band put on a successful show, with the exception of a few lulls in the middle of the set; not to say that the theatrics were not entertaining, but the constant pulse seemed to be wearisome at times. Hopefully, Mutemath’s novelty will not wear thin and the forthcoming concerts will be even more extravagant.
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