On Sept. 28, Mt. Joy played a rousing set as continuous scenes of psychedelia swirled behind them, a sold-out crowd mirroring the movement throughout all three tiers of the venue. This was the first of two consecutive shows that the band would play at MGM Music Hall in Boston, but it was far from a warm- up. The band began the show with fan-favorite “Sheep,” and even from the line outside the energy was palpable. Anticipation swirled as they transitioned into “Evergreen” from their newest album “Orange Blood.”
While approximately half of the set was comprised of songs from this project, the band found plenty of time to vary their material. They played numbers from all three of their studio albums, featuring subject material ranging from homesickness to the universal feeling of “falling in love in a bathroom.”
The band, featuring lead vocals from Matt Quinn, had the incredible chemistry expected from a unit that has been performing together for nearly a decade. This dynamic was emphasized by the give and take of Quinn’s rhythm guitar paired with his high school friend Sam Cooper’s lead guitar playing. Easily switching between subtle complimentary riffs and flashy solos, Cooper was an ideal front man next to his longtime companion. While he stuck with a single electric guitar throughout the performance, Quinn rotated between acoustic and electric, and even strummed a ukulele for one song.
Backing these two was the amazing rhythm section, comprised of Michael Byrnes on bass, drummer Sotiris Eliopoulos and Jackie Miclau on the keys. A piano solo is not something that every band can claim in their arsenal, but Miclau had the opportunity to showcase her talents in an extended riff as the rest of the band looked on with the same awe as the crowd. A drum solo, reminiscent of the “Drums/Space” section popularized by the Grateful Dead, highlighted Eliopoulos’ talents beyond keeping a steady rhythm for the band’s elongated jams.
A later performance paid direct tribute to the Grateful Dead, a noted inspiration for Quinn. In an interview with the Philly Voice, he cites Jerry Garcia as one of his heroes, and states that their music is “what got me into writing music in general.”
As they played “Mt. Joy” off the album by the same name, a seamless transition introduced the cheering crowd to a lengthy rendition of “Fire on the Mountain.” This lasted nearly 10 minutes and allowed Cooper to perform a version of the song that would make the original members of the Dead proud. This timeless classic had audience members of all ages dancing in shared appreciation for the performance.
This was just one of multiple covers that were scattered throughout Mt. Joy’s performance. They were not afraid to stretch one of their most popular songs, “Julia,” into a lengthy medley incorporating “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers and “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley. At first glance, none of these songs seem like they should be played by the same band, let alone at the same time. But the range of ability and flawless chemistry between the musicians was on clear display for what would be the last song of their second set.
As 5,000 fans implored the band at the top of their lungs to continue the show, Quinn took the stage, backed by Cooper and Miclau, for a bare-bones rendition of “Bathroom Light.” This heartfelt song had fans throughout the hall entwined in passionate embraces as Quinn invited all present to “tell your friends you love who they are.”
As the final melancholy chords of the song were struck, the rest of the band returned to the stage. The metronomic kick drum of Eliopoulos kept time as everyone prepared for the final song of the night. Naturally, the band couldn’t leave the stage without playing their debut single from 2016, “Astrovan.” After such an inspired performance, there was no way the crowd would let them leave without an encore.
JD Hildreth can be reached at [email protected].
