Nightmare on Congress with The Swim (Tucson, AZ), The Zsa Zsas (Tucson, AZ) and Mostly Bears (Tucson, AZ)
Oh My God, Mostly Bears @ Plush
Mostly Bears, The Fade @ Club Congress
Mostly Bears
Raised a couple of feet above the crowd on the Congress stage, Brian Lopez, Geoffrey Hidalgo, and Nick Wantland of Mostly Bears probably noticed the oppressive warmth of the Tucson evening as the day-glo warpaint on their black-lit, shirtless bodies subtly began to run. The overhead dimness sharply contrasted with their hallmark phosphorescent face and torso scribblings. Cave-like primitive bear logos sprayed on amps were brought to life by the black light as well. If you walked in the door of the venue never having heard of them, perhaps you assumed you were in for an evening of immature stoner rock. There’s a reason books shouldn’t be judged by their covers. On Saturday, August 22nd, Mostly Bears released their new live CD, Team Of Spirits: Live at Club Congress, to a packed house.
The songwriting on their first full-length album, The Ed Mitchell Clinic, hooks, unbridled psychedelia, harmonies and all, translate perfectly to their live show. The rhythm section, comprised of Wantland on drums and Hidalgo on bass, defined Mostly Bears‘ sound as much as Lopez’s vocals and searing guitar. Local keyboardist extraordinaire Sergio Mendoza sat in on a few songs and added an alluring layer of elegance to the psychedelic riffs. The urgency, intonation, and vibrato in Lopez’s voice was akin to Arcade Fire’s Win Butler, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, and occasionally the late Jeff Buckley. Hidalgo’s harmonizing sent things clear over the edge. I surreptitiously scanned the crowd for a like-minded person would catch my glance so I could mouth the words, “Is this for real?”
If Mostly Bears‘ music didn’t make my brain glaze over with ecstasy, I might’ve been able to hear Lopez announce song titles, but much in the way I listen to a killer CD on repeat and disregard the liner notes, I had little use for such details. Granted, I did catch the names of two brand new songs debuted at the show, “Influence” and “Dead Man.” They have a range of styles that are all governed by a simple premise: No filler allowed, anywhere, anytime. They have a central focus, whether it be an infectious bass line, or killer guitar riff, and develop it to the point of near-perfection. They are able to take the risky step of releasing a live album this early in their career because their music is not overproduced. It’s a veritable testament to the abilities of this band.
When I left the show, two things occurred to me in my heightened state; I accidentally forgot to purchase the new live album, and I was thrilled knowing that someday these guys would be packing an arena. Tucson should soak in every minute of this band before convenience fees are added to the ticket price.
