Hawk Rock

Part two celebrating one of my favorite bands, Mogwai, and my unbridled excitement at seeing them tonight!

The Wiltern is a cool theater (the Dethklok show if you recall) and I expect the sound to be on point, along with the Mogwai multi-textural layers of sonic bliss. The last time I saw Mogwai it was back in 2004 as part of the Curiosa tour (w/ Interpol and The Cure). It kinda sucked that they went on in the late afternoon and there wasn't much of a crowd there to appreciate it, but they were still great. But my first experience with them was religious.

Scartoe (bless his heart) suggested I go with him to the El Rey way back in 2000 and watch the band, whom I had heard little about. It was a pretty life-altering musical experience, getting blasted with something so new and original. Playing some of The Hawk Is Howling for Scarlett the other day and she asked if it was MAGNA, which goes to show the influence and impact of that band.

UPDATE: Holy fuck.

What an intense show. I feel like I went to the gym, got in a fight, worked overtime, had an orgy, put my head in a jet engine, and smoked angel dust. And that was just after the first two songs.

As I had been peeking at the set lists from the prior shows on this tour, I knew there would be a healthy amount from The Hawk Is Howling. For being newly minted tour selections, I'd say they played them pretty strongly. I'm glad I had been listening to them for the last week because knowing what to expect and anticipate them, for me, was better than the surprise of hearing something for the first time. Not that I wasn't impressed with those first plays either.

There were certainly a lot of highlights to the show, but I think the most amazing moments were the performances of "Friend Of The Night" and "Helicon 1", which we just so bombastic and incredible. While there are the subtlety of layers and the swells of volume, Mogwai live is like a beast unchained. I want to keep finding superlatives, but really, it's just intense getting hit with that sonic barrage. It's a pretty powerful thing, and those who think I'm exagerating to suggest it will change you for seeing them, well, just go and you'll understand what I mean.

The Precipice (end)

Friend Of The Night


Hunted By A Freak


Batcat (middle)

The Precipice
Friend Of The Night
Thank You Space Expert
Hunted By A Freak
I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead
Ithica 27 o 9
Scotland's Shame
Helicon 1
I Love You, I'm Going To Blow Up Your School
Like Herod
Batcat
Secret Pint
Two Rights Make One Wrong
We're No Here