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The Mountain Goats on Tour
The Mountain Goats are known first and foremost for John Darnielle's rich storytelling. He has spun heart-wrenching songs from all manner of inspirational sources, from Bible verses to photos of Judy Garland, and from fictional death metal bands to his own experiences with addiction. The band's 2019 album In League with Dragons (their 17th) draws extensively from Dungeons & Dragons, the game. Even so, none of it is novelty. Set to evocative melodies and an earnest mix of folk and rock, Mountain Goats songs are full of intimate detail, unforgettable characters, gripping narratives and intense emotion. Onstage, Darnielle's devotion to his craft comes to life in a hail of spirited strumming and vocal inflection as he's egged on by a crowd that knows every word. And it doesn't hurt that the Durham, North Carolina, outfit is rounded out by bassist Peter Hughes, drummer Jon Wurster (also of Superchunk) and Matt Douglas, who plays everything from flute to keys in order to properly soundtrack Darnielle's vision.
The Mountain Goats in Concert
The Mountain Goats officially launched in 1991 with a cassette on the beloved cult label Shrimper Records, but the band's origins run tandem to those of founder John Darnielle. His California childhood with an abusive stepdad, his youthful passion for pro wrestling, his post–high school days with a rough crowd in Oregon, his years at Pitzer inventing characters while working toward an English degree — all of it would eventually end up informing the powerful themes and complex narratives of future Mountain Goats albums. While the project's earliest releases were famously recorded on a cassette boombox (culminating in 2002's classic All Hail West Texas), Darnielle increasingly embraced the studio over time, giving records like The Life of the World to Come (2009) and Transcendental Youth (2012) a dynamic sound to match the subject matter. And while some early releases featured Darnielle alone, the band too solidified as the years went by. Still, his writing has remained central, inspiring a somewhat small but incredibly fervent audience that's included fans in high places: In 2017, acclaimed podcaster Joseph Fink started a series devoted to Darnielle's work called I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats, and in 2019, Stephen Colbert joined the band for a rendition of "This Year" on his late-night show.
Wonderful concert experience at a very nice venue! This was my first duo Mountain Goats concert and it did not disappoint. I was hoping for more songs from Jenny from Thebes but it was great to hear some of the older songs. I look forward to seeing them again in April!
Great venue - completely full house, rocking to the rafters. John wasn't feeling well but still managed to put on a great show for a lot of adoring fans. Second time seeing them live - I would go again.
I had a blast at this show. The Mountain Goats played a fantastic set together before leaving John onstage to deliver a few solo tunes. The rest of the band returned to close things out, clearly feeding off the high energy of the crowd at The Queen. Everyone whooped and screamed and jumped and danced along to No Children and This Year, and the Goats came back for two encore sets.
Absolutely awesome show, a great mix of new and old music. The performance was polished, great transitions, and the crowd loved it. This was my third Mountain Goats show and my favorite so far!
After standing in line for about an hour and getting in and mistake waiting another half an hour in the merch line thinking it was the line for the bar, my friends and I eventually worked ourselves deeper into the venue to get a half-decent viewing experience. We listened to Mikaela Davis' calm and subdued set that really popped when she had a string break. She left the stage and then there was a considerable wait for the stage crew to set up for Mountian Goats. The lights dimmed and a voice-over started. The band entered and began playing without Jon. After bursting on stage the entire crowd cheered, it was amazing. The entire night was intense. Even the quieter songs on the album were still played loud and powerfully. The crowd nearly drowned him out when performing 'This Year'. We managed to get an encore, an insane five-song encore! It was the best concert I've ever attended and now I'm waiting impatiently for their return.
Loved the show. Weirded out by the Tai Chi guy. He was from outta town & made you feel like you were doing something wrong but you weren’t. What a buzz killer.
My first concert experience in NYC was amazing thanks to these guys and the lovely Pier 17. The only thing I wish had gone differently was I would've loved to have seen a setlist or gotten a better idea of the timing to catch the whole show. Next time!!!
High Energy, great musicianship, and a wonderful venue. Positive Fun Good Storytelling
This show may have been the best night of my life. The crowd was electric, and the venue was nice, but the preformers made the night unforgettable. John Darnielle and The Mountain Goats have a gift for crafting spectacular energy to match their unique, spellbinding songs. Thank you so much! (And go Kyle!)
There is such a unique energy about The Mountain Goats and they did not disappoint. They covered their catalogue from brand new to came-to-hear and interacted with the crowd from start to finish. Highly recommend!
