Mutemath thrill fans at The Echo with electrifying marathon set

With fans lining up on Sunset Blvd since 5:30pm, Mutemath had fans lined up past the Glendale bridge eager to pack The Echo. With two back-to-back intimate shows, the four piece was in fine shape playing a massive and electrifying two-hour, 25-song set.

Opening was DJ/producer Quiet Entertainer. While not the most technically inclined DJ (I only say this because this is LA, home of some the best DJs and producers in the world so you best come correct with your scratches), QE definitely put on an entertaining show encouraging fan engagement with hand claps and fist pumps. Playing a mix of original beats and remixes, the younger crowd ate it up.

There was quite a bit of energy in the air right before Mutemath took to the stage, the front of the stage got a bit more packed with fans eager to get the show going. When the New Orleans based four-piece took to the stage, launching into “Collapse”, the instrumental intro to their first album, the fans went nuts. What really stood out to me was the level of showmanship and energy Mutemath exerted in their marathon set. The band was a well oiled machine that filled their set with new songs from their forthcoming album Vitals along with a ton of deep cuts from their past albums.

Singer, Paul Meany, a true frontman, has the pipes of a natural rock star and somehow even makes the keytar look and sound cool. Paul was super appreciative of the hard core fans that packed The Echo and sang along to every single song, even the new stuff. Mutemath’s rhythm section comprised of bassist, Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas and drummer Darren King were in fine form with their heavy and hard hitting syncopated grooves. Early on in the set, Darren was so hard hitting that he put the beater of his kick drum through the front head, causing a brief delay as he switched out kick drums. With the crowd chanting Darren’s name, Paul had mentioned that this was the second night in a row that Darren had done this, which is no easy feet.

Usually when I’m at shows at The Echo, the crowd is a mix bag of “industry” folk and hardcore fans but this show felt different. It seemed that everybody was there to see Mutemath and everybody was there to have a good time. The energy was positive and fans were losing their minds over the deep song selection. Not terribly familiar with Mutemath’s sound, I left the night with a new found respect for the band and I wouldn’t hesitate to see them again.

Words & Photography: Ceethreedom

Mutemath