Mt. Joy performed a sold-out show at The Troubadour (review)
"This is an amazing treat for us," stated Mt. Joy vocalist Matt Quinn during the band's intimate sold-out performance at The Troubadour last night. The Los Angeles five piece band have been busy working on new music and decided to deliver something special before a massive touring schedule, which includes headlining shows at the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Garden.
Mt. Joy kicked off their special set with "Sheep," which had Quinn crooning, "Maybe I was born in the wrong skin/ But those sheep are rolling in the mud again" in front of 500 grooving fans. This was the band's first time at The Troubadour since 2018, and since then, they've found themselves packing ampitheatres across the country.
When it comes to Mt. Joy songs, the lyrical content can go from personal ("Highway Queen") to playful ("Johnson Song"). With "Lemon Tree," Quinn stated, "["Lemon Tree" is] a dance tune that's super weird that we don't where it came from." The aforementioned "Johnson Song", which Quinn called "the d**k joke song", had the entire crowd singing along to its infectious chorus.
One thing Mt. Joy do well is give each song a chance to breathe with a plethora of extended outros and individual highlights. The intro to "Dirty Love" found keyboardist Jackie Miclau delivering a majestic offering behind the keys while "I'm A Wreck" gave bassist Michael Byrnes a change to deliver some funky plucks. Towards the end of "Mt. Joy," drummer Sotiris Eliopoulos engaged in a three minute barrage behind the kit, which led to band members looking on trying to find a place to jump in right before heading into a cover of Grateful Dead's "Casey Jones".
"Casey Jones" wasn't the only time Mt. Joy effortlessly inserted a cover in the midst of a song. "Bug Eyes" found them cruising into a cover of The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?" while "Julia" was interrupted by a cover of Fatboy Slim's "Praise You."
After exiting the stage following "Astrovan," Mt. Joy returned to the stage for a three-song encore, which kicked off with a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams." When it comes to the cover, Quinn said, "When I think of Los Angeles, I think of this song." The band also showcased an unreleased song, which Quinn stated, "[This song is] about going on a date with someone who wants to go dancing." Mt. Joy concluded their nearly two-hour set with "Silver Lining," which became the band’s first chart-topping single on the Billboard Triple A chart. While Quinn jokingly said the Troubadour show was a lot scarier than headlining the near 18,000 capacity Hollywood Bowl this fall, it was an absolute treat sharing a moment with a small gathering of devoted fans.
Mt. Joy setlist
Sheep
Evergreen
Let Loose
Orange Blood
Strangers
Bug Eyes (feat. "Where Is My Mind" cover)
Dirty Love
Highway Queen
Lemon Tree
I'm Your Wreck
Rearrange Us
Mt. Joy (feat. "Casey Jones" cover)
Bathroom Light
Johnson Song
Julia (feat. "Praise You" cover)
Astrovan
Encore
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover)
New song
Silver Lining
More information about Mt. Joy’s forthcoming tour can be found here.