Minus the Bear, otherwise known as “the band that could’ve been metal if they didn’t eat too many magic mushrooms,” performed at the Pabst Theater last night. It was a great show — the Seattle quintet is so tight that their songs’ starts and stops are as much of a highlight as their chord progressions.
Masters of indie electro-math-prog-rock, it’s amazing how consistent their live show is, even with lead singer Jake Snider saying that he was losing his voice on tour.
A friend likened their set to having good sex all night long without ever climaxing, because you don’t really need to — it’s that good.
For me, the best part was their drummer Erin Tate. He was miked so well that you could hear every cymbal’s 16th note — it’s not something you really pay attention to when you’re listening to thier records, but is great live. Their live show is to analyze note per note. By the end, everyone was singing along. Sweet!
It was also great to see Maritime opening for them. They came on right before Minus the Bear, and since I’ve always wanted to see them live, it was a great experience. Drummer Dan Didier is awesome, and Davey von Bohlen — whose singing voice sounds nothing like his talking voice, by the way — is a livewire onstage. He moonwalks, he headbangs, he disses the Brewers, he threatens unruly audience members with his big, buff, baldness –“it’s a solar-powered, kicking your ass machine!” he proclaimed.
As for the Honorary Title, I’ll leave you with something I overheard from a conversation in the smoking lounge:
Guy 1: “I don’t know what to make of them. They’re like a more mellow Alkaline Trio mixed with the Strokes.”
Guy 2: “They’re better not drunk. I’m going to get drunker than the lead singer tonight.”
P.S. Here is a photo I took with my camera phone.
Minus the Bear’s set list
1. Thanks for the Killer Game of Crisco® Twister
2. The Game Needed Me
3. Fulfill the Dream
4. This Ain’t A Surfin’ Movie
5. NEW SONG
6. Get Me Naked 2: Electric Boogaloo
7. The Fix
8. NEW SONG
9. I Lost All My Money At The Cock Fights
10. Drilling
11. Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!
12. Fine + 2 Pts
13. NEW SONG
14. Pachuca Sunrise
Encore
15. Memphis and 53rd
16. Absinthe Party At The Fly Honey Warehouse
Posted on May 18, 2007 by lillitot
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