The Mindy Set reunion & CD release
of
god and science
Sin
Serenade
Jumpsuit
Friday
December 28
Low Spirits Bar & Stage
2823 2nd Street NW
Albuquerque, NM
8pm doors
$7
Chinese
Love Beads reunion
Sicteens
The Pantease
Black Wolf Howl
Friday
December 28
Tricky Falls
209 S. El Paso St.
El Paso, TX
doors 8pm
$5
Two of my favorite bands reunite on
the same night and I’m out of town with the fam. What did I do to deserve such
a lump of coal in my musical stocking?!
Tonight will be six years (and
twenty days but who’s counting) since The Mindy Set played their final show at
Burt’s Tiki Lounge. There was barely a dry eye in the house that night, off or
on stage. It was truly the most emotional farewell show most of us Mindy fans
had ever witnessed. Me, I’m still pissed off that the Mindy Set was never
showered with lucrative recording contracts. Was it better after all to leave
with quiet dignity rather than as the next big thing hyped on the cover of Magnet? I don’t know but I’d like to
have seen it nonetheless because the band deserved much more than it got.
Call them neo-psych or American
Britpop, whatever, but there was no mistaking the influence of UK bands like
Ride or The Charlatans (or if you’ were really deep into the pudding, Coast or Mantaray).
Joshua Williams laid out the prettiest basslines you could ever hope to hear.
If you weren’t paying
attention, it would’ve been easy
to overlook the gorgeous subtlety of his work that perfectly complemented Matt
Dickens’ elegant guitars. And I say “guitars” rather than “guitar” because
Matt’s style and echo/fx settings made him sound as if duet-ing with himself,
like playing in a room full of audible mirrors.
Sadly two key members will not be
present. Master stickman Noelan Ramirez will sit in for drummer Jill McArthur
and although she’s irreplaceable you couldn’t find anyone better suited than
he. Michael Tinley played some of the loveliest and most unobtrusive guitar
I’ve ever heard, both lead and melody at the same time. From what I understand,
no one will be playing in his stead tonight and that’s as it should be.
