James Mack's Weblog

Last night, I went to a Matson Jones show at the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins. The first thing you see, hear, or feel about Matson Jones is the pair of cellos that define half of this quartet. This duo is skillfully blended with an upright bass and drum kit, and the sonorous tone of the instruments are polarized by the piercing, distorted voices of the two female vocalists. I initially feared that such a novel combination would tire quickly, handcuffed by the inflexibility of the rhythm instruments which had fiercely grabbed my attention just moments earlier. Yet, they manage to escape the appellation of "one trick pony" through creative arrangements and dissident lyrics. And there's something simply infectious about four bass lines.

The night was well supported by a cache of local bands, including D. Biddle, Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots, and another band that I regretfully missed the name of, for they weren't officially on the bill. Munly was particularly interesting, a high energy anachronism who seemed to be trying to keep one foot in the wild wild west and another in the goth/punk movement. They certainly gave Matson Jones a run for their money as the highlight of the show. Our $6 tickets were low in cost, but high in value.

And because I have a few photos that I don't want cluttering the front page, I'll drop the rest of my experience into the extended portion.


I really feel bad about this, but I didn't catch the name of this first band. They opened the show, with the lead singer doing a solo performance before being joined by keyboard and drums. Like D. Biddle, the band that followed, they gave a solid rock performance.

D. Biddle put out with his raspy voice and the most polished stage presence of the night. The trumpeter nursed a tall boy while the bassist seemed indifferent, all while Duncan belted out his stories of misdeeds and injustice in a sound that was familiar but satisfying.

As I said before, Jay Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots gave Matson Jones a run for their money. Their energy incited a mosh pit among the high schoolers near the stage, and Jay Munly's dark, sunken eyes pierced into the crowd, his intense gaze occasionally making you wonder if it was you who had incited the rage of his lyrics. Unfortunately, the acoustics of the Aggie didn't do them justice, and the complex and subtle layering of violins, cello, bass, drums, and jazz guitar turned to disarray and discord.

When Munly left the stage, Matson Jones took over. This is why everyone showed up, and the audience was obviously familiar with the music. Lit up by Munly, the teens near the stage were further frenzied by the driving bass and drums of Matson Jones, and garnered a bit of commentary from the band due to their mosh pit antics. From familiar favorites like "Arson", to songs off the new EP like "Exes and Ohs", they consistently hit the mark, and the Aggie's sound system was finally relieved by a sound a bit less demanding than the bands prior.

They finished with an encore of "Italian Song", per crowd request, and at almost 2am, Chris and I walked back to the car. Matson Jones certainly doesn't seem to try all that hard, as they admitted to not practicing that often, and their live appearances are few and far between. As such, it seems that they'll forever shirk any form of greater success, content in their niche with, as Spin magazine put it, "what seems to be the second biggest Goth following in the state of Colorado". But they seem to be inherently talented, and when they do play, nobody in the house can sit still. And maybe that's what good music is all about.

All in all, I enjoyed nearly 6 hours of music for 6 bucks. Plus, I went home with a new pair of socks. Score!