trochee

imtboo and I went to see The Mountain Goats at Neumo's Thursday night. John Darnielle is fantastically animated and engaging, swinging from peppy and hyper to singing his heart out (sometimes at the same time!). Such an amazing show. The Neumo's audience was completely enthralled. Peter Hughes, the bassist, was charismatic in exactly the way one might expect from a bass player -- not drawing attention, but really holding the whole show together.

Darnielle is a really generous performer, too -- he loves the audience, and the two of them maintain the humility of knowing that they're lucky to be able to do what they do.

Their opening act, Pony Up! is an all-girl band out of Montreal. They're fun -- and I enjoyed watching them, but it was kinda too bad that they weren't all four really into the music until their third or fourth song (and they only played about six). (Reading their website it's hard to believe that they got started in 2002; they all look like they're about 16 years old.)

imtboo said "this looks like a band that should play at The Bronze." Hah, they would be perfect there.

Pictures of The Mountain Goats start here; pictures of Pony Up! start here.