This past Saturday, White Oak Music Hall was host to experimental rockers Minus the Bear and openers The New Trust.
MTB are no strangers to Houston and downtown’s WOMH proved to be a perfectly-sized venue for the group’s local following.
The guitar-based Seattle group have been around since the early 2000’s, with six full-length records and many, many accompanying EP releases. This tour, in fact, is in celebration of the fan-favorite album, Planet of Ice. The group performed the record in its entirety before going on to play a selection of ten more songs from their catalog.
MTB could do no wrong Saturday night as they plowed their way through their set with their signature sound of delay and guitar tapping.
The winding, atmospheric sound they pour onto a crowd is almost not instantly recognizable as guitar-based rock. Atypical time signatures only add to the complexity and depth of the music – the 7/8 time signature, for example, consisting of 7 beats per bar (not your usual 8), is not something that casual (see: most) concert-goers are acutely aware of, although it is something that most anyone notices… even if they’re not certain what they’re noticing. And MTB are proficient. Delve into their expansive career and witness for yourself.
Openers, The New Trust, a three-piece from Santa Rosa, CA, combine melodic choruses, chunky guitar riffs and driving drum rhythms to deliver a rather unique sound.
They are certainly a spectacle to see live – girls on guitar (Sara Sanger) and drums (Julia Lancer), and a bona fide lumberjack (Josh Staples) on bass and vocals.
They’re one of those smaller bands that make more noise than you’d figure was possible. Check their link above for access to their library on iTunes and/or Spotify.
The groups continue their on their tour until July 10 in MTB’s home state of Washington.
