Mogwai - Denver, CO

It has now been almost a full twenty-four hours since the Denver Mogwai show and my ears are still ringing. Notorious for their decibel pounding live performances, the Scottish noise rockers have managed to build somewhat of a cult following here in the states. Last night's show was no exception as the band played the kind of loud, perfectly orchestrated, psychedelic freak out of show they are famous for and although my hearing may now be severely and permanently damaged, it was well worth it.

The line in front of the mid-size Gothic Theater filled up quickly, forcing me to wait outside in the chilly and wet Denver weather. Once inside, the suspense continued to build as it took the band almost an hour to start due to some technical issues. Finally, the boys took the stage all sporting matching green Adidas b-boy jackets. Although these jackets would each be stripped off one by one within the first thirty minutes of the show, they looked damn cool while they lasted. The band kicked off the night with their latest single called "Auto Rock" off of their most recent album, Mr. Beast and then played through one from their previous album, Happy Songs For Happy People titled "I Know Who You Are, But What Am I?" The dramatic keyboards featured in both songs were perfect for warming the hungry crowd up to the upcoming intensity.

Mogwai then exploded into new songs "Glasgow Mega Snake" and "We're No Here" with earth shattering ferocity and an all out assault of light and noise that seemed capable of literally blowing the roof off of the Gothic Theater. Mostly, they played tunes from the new album but threw in a few fan favorites. "Hunted By A Freak" stood out, as they seemed to get lost in a Slint-style haunting trance that stuck with them all night. The sound is one culled from the post-punk era and its instrumental style can evoke deep thought and deeper emotions.

Mogwai live is the sound of all out chaos and beautiful harmony thrown into a blender. It is obvious that they are meticulous about every single note and how it applies to the exact volume at which they are playing. There is also much work put into the tripped out light show, the band relying on strobes and flashes to go along with the flow and the vibe of the music. When the songs get loud, the lights explode into a storm of blue and green beams and ultra bright rays. During the more mellow moments, the lights dim and become hazy, creating an appropriately ominous atmosphere. All of the psychedelics involved with this show can leave one feeling like they've just eaten a fistful of hydroponic 'shrooms.

By the end of the show I found myself lost in the grip of their mind twisting performance. Because of the blinding lights that bore down directly into my eyes, I spent much of the show squinting and blinking. The whole experience went by too fast as if life were on fast-forward. I left the show dazed and slightly deaf, overtaken with a surreal feeling of emotion and headache. All of which are tell-tale signs of a great live performance.