Mono Live at the Middle East April 12, 2007

Mono
w/Worlds End Girlfriend and The Drift
The Middle East (Downstairs), Cambridge MA
Thursday April 12, 2007

First you might be saying "haven't you spoken of this band before?", well yes of course right here is a prime example.

Onward.

Japanese instrumental rockers mono kicked off their latest tour of the USA on Thursday in Cambridge. Rumor has it the band would be touring this year in the US and then that was "it" until 2009. Even though I had been sick I decided that since the ticket was bought, it was a must attend.

Phoning the club earlier in the day I got the dreaded news "Mono at 11:30". Ugggh, on a school night no less.

Arrived at the venue about 10:20 and World's End Girlfriend was setting up. It's basically a solo/one man band kind of deal. Going in with an open mind didn't help. The set was very boring and there is something about a lot of nob twisting and laptop computer work that just doesn't sit well in a live setting. The audience (very much under the clubs capacity of 550) didn't pay much attention and there was a lot of chatter. The final two "songs" had shimmers of coolness but overall it needed to have been 20 minutes shorter than the 45 minutes it was.

The bright side to a one man band was the set change over was very quick and before you knew it Mono had taken the stage. Tamaki (bass) stood towards the middle of the stage with Takaakira "Taka" Goto (guitar) and Yoda (guitar) on each side. Yasunori Takada settled behind the drum set and we were pretty much ready to roll.


Mono follows a "quiet/loud" pattern. Tracks begin with a solo swooping guitar then the band will come slamming in 5+ minutes later. You forget how quiet and beautiful it is and can be, then you are thrust to a pummeling wall of sound.


As great as the band always is live there was *something* missing that I am unable to put my finger on. Opening night of the tour, but they had no tech issues at all? Ummm the talkers that have to talk about anything all during the set, annoying yes, but not as distracting as you can blame.

Being to harsh perhaps? Nah, they freaking smoked. Catch em live now or wait till 2009 to behold the awesomeness.

Oh yeah bring ear plugs.

The rest of the tour dates can be found here


Images taken from - here