Minus and Moody Math (Rock)

A musician friend who bartends at The National started my night with a compliment.

"It's awesome how you come out so often to hear all kinds of music."

I think he was surprised to see me there for a band that has former members of hardcore bands Kill Sadie and Botch, but actually, I find the band's sound all the more interesting for where they came from.

Minus the Bear has a lot for me to like: the interplay of two excellent guitarists, thick keyboards, the total wash of sound that all of their songs evolve into (it sounds very post-rock to me, sort of like Explosions in the Sky or Yndi Halda) before settling back into that trancey state that they do so well.

Let's just say that it's a very dense sound and I am quite fond of that and the offbeat time signatures doesn't hurt, either.

You can hear their musical geekiness in every note.

While the testosterone-fueled members of the audience may regret the band's evolution, roaring loudly when older material was played, I like Minus the Bear's development with calmer lyrics and more electronica; it just sounds good to my ear.

Unfortunately, many in the testosterone set were also ugly drunk and doing a lot of whoo-ing.

I had my feet stepped on twice by a jumping fool who made more noise than the band.

Young the Giant opened the show and although I missed the start of their set, I liked what I heard of their hook-laden sound.

Everest was next and they were less to my taste but much appreciated by those in attendance.

Math rock melodies behind driving guitars and enough keyboards to keep it interesting; that's an outstanding Saturday night's worth of live music.

It's not me who's awesome for coming out to hear Minus the Bear; what's awesome is that former hardcore band members continue to develop quirky enough sounds to draw people like me out.

Or maybe it's just that I'm easily drawn. Your call.