mewithoutYou Live Review

mewithoutYou Live Review + Concert Photos w/ Field Mouse, -Foxing | The Local 662, St. Petersburg, FL | July 4, 2015

by • July 12, 2015

Field Mouse fronter Rachel Browne was right: performing in the Florida summer heat is like being inside of a mouth. May a full mouth, at that, with at least 250 people packed inside. But in spite of sweltering, staggering heat, hundreds packed into the Local 662 in St. Petersburg for an explosive performance by mewithoutYou.

Just months after their sixth full-length release, Pale Horses, MewithoutYou embarked on their tour on July 4, and kicked it off with a thorough bang suitable among holiday firecrackers. In an hour and a half, the band ripped through majority of Horses with a few older favorites igniting the crowd.

MewithoutYou is the kind of band that can switch your moods in a split second but still leaving you breathlessly enchanted. It’s the spiritualistic themes wrapped in their essence- Judeo-Muslim-Christian trio factors into their lyricism regularly, but never in a preachy tone.

But their performance in itself is what is other-worldly. One minute I was scream-dancing to “Tie Me Up! Untie Me!” and the next I was swept into the “Mexican War Streets.” Lead vocalist Aaron Weiss’s wailing, at times bluesy-alternative slams, left all of us panting and thirsty for an endless set. It’s the punk-plucked energy blended with melodic spoken word that sets this Philadelphia band apart from others bursting in the city’s scene.

As refreshing as MewithoutYou’s sound is, there was no beating the heat–cold beers didn’t bring the fever down, and even slow-jams like “Rainbow Signs” couldn’t cool the crowd. (SERIOUSLY, THERE WAS NO AIR CONDITIONING. WHY?!?!) The eerie images wrapped within the song create the ultimate rolling energy, and that presence kept the room alive.

Opening act Field Mouse, is an easy favorite of mine with charming, goth-y punk energy. Though the New York/Philly band was melting in Florida, their set was never deprived of their seamless, electric performance. The quintet released an LP in 2014, Hold Still Life, that is loaded with lyrical imagery and unforgettable bass lines–it’s a wonder how the band hasn’t overtaken the indie scene.

The dreamy essence of “Glass” counters revved romping in “A Place You Return To In a Dream,” and I can’t name a song I wasn’t emotionally struck by in their set. Anyone who hadn’t heard of Field Mouse before this tour is likely to be a massive fan now.

The heartbreaker for many on the opening dates of this tour was the delay of St. Louis act Foxing. On another tour stop, their trailer was stolen and left them devastated of personal items and gear. The band was forced to miss the first dates in St. Petersburg and Orlando, but were able to raise funds for instruments for the rest of the tour. Despite the disappointment, fans bought merch and sent money over GoFundMe to support the band.

The love of the community carried over into the tour mates, especially. Field Mouse dedicated their first set to Foxing, and MewithoutYou wished for a speedy recovery for the band to return to their newly launched tour.

mewithoutYou Tour Dates 2015:

Date   Venue, Location
Jul 14 The Emerson Theater, Indianapolis, IN
Jul 15 The Southgate House Revival. Newport, KY
Jul 16 Rock & Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
Jul 17 Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
Jul 18 The Sinclair Cambridge, MA
Oct 23 Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
Oct 24 Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA
Oct 30 The Fest, Gainesville, FL
Oct 31 The Fest, Gainesville, FL
Nov 08 Echoplex, Los Angeles, CA
Nov 20 Metro, Chicago, IL
Nov 21 Metro, Chicago, IL

MewithoutYou Live Review & MewithoutYou Live Concert Photos by Amanda Starling.

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