Indie rock, folk-infused, Mt. Joy brought their explosive show to Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre in San Diego last week, and fans are still recovering.
It was Mt. Joy talking about the “best” band. It was the lead singer of Mt. Joy, Matt Quinn, a brilliant singer songwriter and vocalist himself, emphatically repeating that it absolutely is the “best” band, no question. But, he wasn’t talking about Mt. Joy. He was praising the show opener, underground, indie rock artist, Flipturn.
Flipturn’s set was highly energetic, with exceptionally well-delivered lead vocals. Flipturn was indie rock at its best, with melodic and catchy song structure. They were the perfect opener. And, in addition to their profound lead vocalist, Dillon Basse, their drummer, Devon Vonbalson, was a rhythmic badass behind the kit. It shall be exciting to see where this band goes next.
Based on the night’s performance, it should be on the way up. Their top Spotify track, “August,” carried a chorus of audience member voices, and it spanked the recorded track, making for an elevated live listener experience. Every song in their set was on fire, and performed live, the band’s ballad “Halfway” provided a memorable song moment for their set. The popular Tears for Fears cover, “Everyone Wants to Rule the World,” was also a highlight. OK, maybe Flipturn is not the “best” band, but on this night, they played like it.
So, how does one follow an act like that? First, Matt Quinn would take the stage. What immediately followed was the full band, Mt. Joy, with three full albums of fan favorite songs to choose from, and the band offering them up like a folk rock machine, programmed to please after recently selling out two nights at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado.
Summer 2023 has been an impressive host of big sellouts for the band. Never appearing weathered, Mt. Joy looked and sounded healthy and polished from it all. Their show opener, “Lemon Tree,” was followed by “Strangers,” then “Jenny Jenkins.” The entire night of music would continue to mix old and new material to a stoked audience of indie folk fanatics.
Surprises were also a key part of the evening formula. Always a hit, Mt. Joy dropped a snippet of the Pixies number, “Where Is My Mind?” That song, with its hauntingly beautify melody, counter to its raw guitar line and vocal questioning sanity, was intertwined halfway into their first set of numbers, further kicking up the outdoor crowd enthusiasm. Then, not just a surprise, but a new song was introduced, one without a name. Quinn asked the audience to toss out a suggestion, should anyone have a title, at which time, native California singer songwriter, Jesse Ray Smith recommend calling it, “Highway Queen.” Let’s hope the name sticks. The new number was followed by Quinn talking about “that special time,” when a band is starting, and when “nobody gives a shit, and maybe you’re in the right place, at the right time” to truly create, before all the pressure, all the opinions dominate.
Quinn segued those exact thoughts into sharing that his earliest inspiration included the music of the late John Prine. Then boldly, Quinn, holding his acoustic guitar under a single spotlight, sang his solo take on “Angel from Montgomery.” That took balls. But, remember, this was from a point of inspiration in life “when nobody gives a shit.”
After a brief set break, the song “I’m A Wreck” would open set two. Like before, a mix of various album favorites would follow, but by now, the highlights from their first album would outnumber the takes, a larger theme harkening back to the band’s pandemic era of livestream success, but only now performed in full glory in amphitheaters like this one with full capacity crowds.
To break any such nostalgic trance, four tunes later, as if out of the blue, a stand-alone drum solo launched midway into the second set. That excitement would lead us back to yet more show surprises, this time, with the band singing, “driving that train, high on cocaine.” Wow! It was not just the Grateful Dead cover, “Casey Jones,” but, a song about that crazy drug in particular – cocaine. Of course, it’s become a tradition for the band to drop an innocent dose of the Dead into most shows. This particular song was teased at Red Rocks, a vibe that lingered into San Diego.
Remaining engaged with the audience, and in light of endless traveling, Quinn made a point of also talking about feeling homesick. He introduced the band’s ballad, “Younger Days” to honor “the people you leave behind.” It was a nod to the toll of concert touring. Yet, to loosen up all good vibes, next came Quinn talking about “an invitation to get weird.” That is, in sharing some backdrop to their song, “Johnson Song,”
Quinn first said the number was only about “living in the moment and dancing.” But, he then asked, with song meanings changing over time, and with “Johnson” in the title, could this also be a “song about dicks?” Answering his question, he said, “maybe it is.”
Perhaps the favorite song of the night was “Julia,” according to the band, “a song about getting a little too high.” This take included a mid-section medley, teasing sections and lyrics from “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Bill Withers cover), fading into the lyrics and music of “I got sunshine in a bag,” (Gorillaz cover, “Clint Eastwood”), before turning those meandering embellishments back into “Julia.” That was well executed and reflective of something playfully psychedelic, as was much of their second set approach.
Saving the best for last, the ending number was “Bathroom Light.” Then, their two-song encore featured “Astrovan” and “Silver Lining” to close the night. A memorable night it was!
