Mogwai at the Metro
The matter of business in this gig today was a sense of accomplishment. The band and the fans were in the same thrill of the show. As a newcomer to the band, I didn’t know what to expect from the audience.
(BG~2012)
Concert experiences are a usual thing for me; I’ve worked in music since my young teens and have seen a lot of different things. The crowd makes the show, the band makes the music and the experience is the outcome.
I just made it to the Metro in time to catch Balam Acab, the second act for the night. After door, bag check and drink passes (just as important as the show itself), I wander onto the concert floor. Balam is on the mic rounding up the audience’s attention. An admirable job. I take my place against the sound booth, being part of the crowd but not a part of the crowd. When it comes to truly experiencing a show I remain as removed from the fan base and action as possible to have as complete non-biased experience. I want to feel the whole experience, not just part of it.
Balam did a great job with his euphoric noise. The crowd took to his pulsating mix of fluid rhythm and sound with appreciation. By the end of his set, everyone was ready and just waiting for Mogwai.
More drinking leads to more canoodling as fans start to mingle more freely. “Yeah, they are defiantly musician’s musician for sure.” I heard this compliment from two guys standing at the base of the stairwell on the stage floor. One of the benefits to being a fly on the wall at these events is overhearing the fans and what they think. As fantastic as shows can be, it wouldn’t be worth a thing if not for the audience.
Wandering now turns to meandering as the time slowly passes for Mogwai. Shadowy images take the stage and do the standard sound check for the band. Waiting. Waiting for Mogwai. Waiting.
I haven’t paid much attention to Mogwai until recently. When they were brought to my attention and their tour brought them to my location, I decided it was time to see what the fuss was about.
It was time.
House lights fade out. Stage lights queue up, cheers and applause. “Hello everyone, we are Mogwai”… The response from the audience is pure and simple in the nicest way. A quiet enthusiasm of “play” is radiating from the crowd… and play they did. The mood is accompanied with vibrant lights and blackness shrouding the background. Mogwai plays. Energy wafts from the sound boxes and the crowd waves with it. It was good music. It was good feeling. It was well-crafted music.
By this time I had almost forgotten my responsibilities as an unbiased participant and became one on the aforementioned crowd. When the musical notes arrived in my ear with a heavy tone, I felt it, as did everyone standing in the same air.
I left that show with a new experience in music.