When it came to my recollection of seeing MUTE MATH and VEDERA I realized that my only thought the entire show was how difficult putting into words either of the performances would be. In a sold out show at the Troubadour in Hollywood I saw two highly underrated bands put on performances that should convert anyone in attendance to join their fandom. Previously having the chance to partake in a taste of both bands in smaller supportive rules, I had only experienced a small portion of what was to come this night, and left completely and utterly enthralled by what I had seen.

The first band I caught of the night was VEDERA (tragically forced to change their name from VEDA a couple months back). The band, whose full length debut came out this past July on Second Nature Recordings, plays a Midwestern sounding style of female fronted indie rock in the vein of DENALI but unafraid to branch out and showcase a poppier side. As tiny front woman Kristen May took her place on stage no one in the crowd could possibly have known without seeing her the energy that was to come. Showcasing an abundant talent in musicianship behind her keyboard and with the guitar, she excelled vocally, filling the room wall to wall with her huge and powerful lungs. The band provided a perfect background to her vocal prowess, hitting every note and doing nothing to distract or outshine the truly special talent that she possesses. As the set progressed conversation amongst the crowd ceased and applause grew. The crowd had been won over by over by nothing more than sheer talent and an impressive performance by VEDERA, a feat that any band hopes for in a supporting role.

It would be hard for nearly any act to follow such an incredible performance as the one VEDERA had, but MUTE MATH is a band that thrives in a live setting and embraced their role of headlining the show. Although I have found myself lackadaisical to the majority of the recorded work of the band up to this point, I was turned on to the band by a live video of the song “Chaos” that was released over a year ago. As they came out with an unorthodox stage set up of that displays the drummer from a side angle, that has him facing singer Paul Meany they powered into the song. Immediately they took control of the venue, playing the song perfectly at an enormous volume. Although all four players in the band possess a huge talent in their separate instrumentation, the obvious forefront of attention is the entrancing stage presence of Mr. Meany. Trading off between a sit down keyboard and keytar, he pranced around the stage with an inspiring and addictive energy. His ambiguous and arbitrary movements take him from seated to standing on top of his keyboard, from one side of the stage to the other and even at times in the crowd, prancing around like a bird with clipped wings all while carrying a powerful and enchanting voice in a similar style to Sting. Offsetting this random movement is drummer Darren King, one of the most talented drummers I have had the chance to see, balancing the pace with his captivating rhythmic pounding. It is amazing that he does not bust through each drum and cymbal, as he strikes as hard as anyone I have seen, sitting and standing with seemingly spastic movements yet never missing a beat. His rambunctious energy is only outshone by his ability to play ostensibly impossible timing, especially during the epic jammed out version of “Reset” that closed the show. The band played flawless, upping anything recorded with an unbridled passion and energy that hypnotizes the crowd with a performance unlike any other band they have seen.

As I left the concert I tried to think of exactly what had just occurred. Both MUTE MATH and VEDERA left me speechless; not only playing their recorded material perfectly but also taking their sound to another level that is needed for a truly outstanding live show. VEDERA’s soft and melodious songs became a platform for the amazing vocals of Kristen May while MUTE MATH displayed a talent and energy far surpassing anything they have been recorded. Although it is only January, I feel confident stating that this will be one of the best tours of the year. These are two very special bands headed for great things, and I implore you to do anything you can to attend this show.

Special thanks to Frank Nieto for letting me go to the show.

Photo Courtesy of Kelsea Olivia.