The Mystery Lights - Live @ Stroomhuis, Eindhoven (eng)

ClockSound is doing these days a mini tour of Holland for a series of concerts and festivals. Our first stop was Rotown in Rotterdam on Thursday, February 16 for the album release party of Iguana Death Cult (we highly recommend their debut “The First Stirrings Of Hideous Insect Life”). Our second stop, and in fact the most important for me, was on Saturday 18/02 with The Mystery Lights in Eindhoven.

Their debut album, which was recorded at the legendary by now studios of Daptone and was released via the offshoot Wick Records, was voted as one of the 10 best albums for 2016 by ClockSound’s team. It represents for us one great example of the garage/psych sound of our times. Therefore, we had to see what is going on live as well.

Stroomhuis is a very special venue. A small space with the stage situated at the corner of the wall and amphitheatrical steps as seats next to it, beyond of course of the standing part up front. The size of the stage itself was such that I was kinda wondering whether it will fit all the band and its equipment. In the end, it did fit even more!

The lights go off, Mystery Lights take their position on stage and the party begins! The sound quality was impressively good for such a small venue, something that became apparent even from the first notes of the instrumental intro. The power and the inspired riffs comprise one of the best choices we have heard for the instant warm up of the crowd. The band itself has absolutely zero patience and no interest on a gradual buildup of the atmosphere. Their intensity penetrated everybody in the crowd from the first second, leading without a pause to the amazing “Follow Me Home”.

 

*Photo by Giel Schepers

 

Mike Brandon led from the center of the stage, with excessive driving tension, his very passionate vocals and the “Pete Townsend” jumps. LA Solano filled the whole space with the beautiful dirt of his Vox guitar and his inspired themes. The bass sound was huge. Everyone of us could perfectly and clearly listen to every note that Alex Q Amini delivered, the style and character of which made us realize even more how vital is his role in the final live result. Finally, with elevated interest we observed the new drummer of the band, Zach Butler, thinking beforehand that he has the, sometimes awkward, role to deliver parts that were not recorded by him in the studio. In the end, the choice of the band was absolutely understandable. Hard hits, all-clever and totally fitting drum counts at the exact degree of complication that is needed for their music and, finally, an impressive tightness with the rest!

The concert continued with plenty of songs from the album, like “Too Many Girls”, “Too Tough To Bare”, “Flowers In My Hair”and others. Mystery Lights donated to us a demonized cover of “Hey Joe” adapted to their style and some new songs that are destined for the follow up album. The latter were rightfully welcomed by the crowd with excitement. A very hopeful sample indeed!

 

 

Closer to the end, our personal favorite “What Happens When You Turn The Devil Down” took its turn, in a performance worthy of this beautiful piece, with the desperate vocals of Brandon still screaming in our ears! And while we expected the gig to end, the band decided to continue the good times with a jamming that was followed by the covers of “Mississippi Line (The Booze)”, “Looking At You (MC5)”. A bit more jamming afterwards, during which many underneath were dancing non stop. At some point, they show the keyboards and welcome on stage two guys which undertook the role of playing along with the band. But the microphone was left there standing, so Mike Brandon invites one more guy on to sing along at the jamming. He seemed drunk enough, a factor that probably had a positive influence. He was unexpectedly good in his role!

 

 

And the time arrived for the end credits. An amazing finish with the chaotic and powerful cover of "Dead Moon Night" and plenty of dancing, to a night that seemed to have passed too quickly.

Concluding, Mystery Lights are four amazing musicians, relaxed on stage, sometimes even laughing and joking with each other, that live and share the whole experience with us. They transmit a rare authenticity that spreads eventually the feeling of a party between friends. This directness is one of the characteristics that makes them stand out from the bulk of today’s bands. This directness and authenticity springs through their record, but is offered even more generously on stage!

 

*ClockSound met up with Mystery Lights, for a highly enjoyable discussion that we will publish the next days