Margot and the Nuclear So & So's Concert

Last night's show at Mohawk was a charming one indeed.

Casually seated on the balcony with my feet stretched out on the railing, I watched as the musicians made beautiful music on the outdoor stage below.

The experience presented itself as a refreshing break from the sweaty, cramped moshpits that surround the stage at most shows. And affinity for that atmosphere aside, this claustrophobia-free thing at Mohawk has merits of its own.


The first band to hit the stage was Judgment Day, a three-piece classical-instrumental-metal outfit from San Fransisco.

I have to admit, I am not exactly a fan of any of these musical styles. But Judgment Day was in a new league.
Drums.
Violin.
Cello.
No pesky guitars or vocals to ruin the mood.

I was amazed by how rich strings can sound with metal when they aren't blanketed by guttural screaming.

Next up, David Vandervelde.

The group gave a strong rock n' roll performance, hindered by the fact that the vocals were buried for half of the set. However, after a request for the mic to be turned up, their music really came to life.


Headliners Margot and the Nuclear So & So's performed to a crowd that had quadrupled in size. Cramming ten people onto the stage, the band took on the the sound of everyone from Liam Finn to Tilly and the Wall to the Austin Symphony, depending on which instruments were being employed. The layering of sounds produced by the mini-indie-symphony provided the audience with a pleasant heaping of auditory stimulation.


Maybe it was the first feelings of cool autumn breeze circulating throughout the venue, or the sensation of looking down on the bands, or the lush upperwalls of Mohawk that evoke the image of a zoo habitat, or maybe it was just the beautiful music dancing through the air that made this a night to remember.